Splendid Suns
by AfriKat
Summary: The third installment following "We Dream of Our Escape". Now that Isobel and the zoosters have a confirmed plan to go back to her homeland, they hope for a peaceful arrival. But what they hoped may be far from that, and they must be ready for what may come. Rated T for violence and such in sparse chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A Thousand Splendid Suns**

 **It has begun – and we have so much to go through together. I'm very excited! This story starts off with a flashback, in no one's POV, just like the other stories. So enjoy, faithful readers.**

 **Also, helpful reminder; I think I only mentioned it maybe once in We Dream, but in Talamaru, a king is a sheikh (pronounced like 'sheek') and a queen is a sheikrah (pronounced like 'sheek-RA').**

Chapter 1: Night of Sorrow

No other day could compare to Talamaru in the height of spring. And because of this, it had been chosen as the day for a royal wedding.

The sheikrah's only daughter was to marry a prince from a kingdom in the mountains. They had met several times, but fell in love the first time.

The princess, Niloufar, paced nervously between the towering trees shaped like upturned, spiraling sea shells. Her father was long gone, killed in battle while her mother was still pregnant with her younger brother, Ajihad. And so there was no one to give her away.

This did not bother her; she was to be queen someday, and she knew how to hold herself up.

When she reached the altar, she shyly looked up to her husband to be, Wilan. He smiled at her, and it was evident that he was handsome. He had sparkling grey eyes, like that of a northerners', and they were full of mischief. His fur was dark, like a stormy sky.

Niloufar was Ta'li, through and through. While Wilan was from Talamaru, he was of the mountains, and she was of the jungle, making them from separate tribes. Niloufar's eyes were green as the lush flora around her, and her fur shone like a fox. While she did not speak much, she was intelligent and crafty, and the gem of the village.

The wedding went without incident, and within a year's time, Niloufar gave birth to their daughter, who was her spitting image. They named her Isobel, as Niloufar had always had a fascination with the French part of their roots.

They found that their daughter, who had been given a feminine and delicate name, was quite the opposite of that. She often went on short-lived adventures throughout the village when she was barely three, much to the panic of her parents. She played rough with the other children. Mainly, the boys who would not stop pulling her newly pierced ears. They soon learned that doing that would earn them a sharp punch in the nose. When she was a little older, she was allowed to go into the forest directly beside the village with other children. Large grazing animals, hetabeests, would frequently charge through the area. Isobel always climbed the nearest tree as she had been taught, but it was not to get away from the stamping hooves. She would jump down onto the backs of one unlucky beast, and ride it for only a moment before she was thrown off.

On quieter days, her mother would take her deeper into the forest, where she would allow her to watch her practice archery. Isobel would sit on a mossy stump and twist her hoop earrings while Niloufar shot arrows into a specific tree. This particular tree was a Qual'a tree; a tree with no feelings. It was the only type of tree that was permitted to be shot at. All others were sacred.

Isobel loved these days, when all was calm and at peace.

But there was one day that would change her life forever.

The day after her fifth birthday, when celebrations for that had cooled down, there was an even bigger preparation for a coronation.

Niloufar's mother, Nefertiri, had decided to pass her crown along to her daughter. Niloufar had accepted, and the morning after her daughter's birthday, she was crowned sheikrah.

Her feather headdress was beautiful; rich blue and pink feathers cascaded down her back, and the headpiece was made of the finest yellow gold. Rubies, the most valuable of the Ta'li gems, adorned it as well.

The people celebrated in honor of their new queen all day and into the night. When a storm poured its contents onto the village, everyone merely laughed and took cover in their large home tree.

Niloufar sat beside her proud husband with Isobel on her lap. But their smiles and laughter vanished the moment they heard the roar of a trorix. The carnivorous beast was known to be violent and best kept away from, but it never roared unless there was trouble.

Niloufar's heart hammered. The warriors, including Wilan, looked to their sheikrah.

"Go." She finally managed to say. "See what has happened."

They left, grabbing their bows and arrows, and Niloufar held Isobel closer.

"What happened, _mawat_?" Isobel asked her mother.

The queen shook her head. "I do not know."

They, along with the other frightened villagers, sat in complete silence for so long they lost track of time.

Finally, Niloufar saw her husband running through the rain to return to them. She set Isobel down and walked to the opening of the tree.

"What is it?" She asked, terrified of the answer.

Wilan caught his breath, his fur matted down with rain. "Over in the clearing, deep in the jungle, there are new warriors. They carry strange weapons with them. They want something, but I do not know what. We must go back and help the other warriors negotiate with them."

Shaking, Niloufar nodded. She grabbed her own bow and arrows, and began to leave, but she felt a tug on her tail. She turned around and looked down to see Isobel.

" _Mawat._ " Isobel looked afraid. "I want to come with you."

Niloufar bent down to be at eye level with her daughter. There were tears in her eyes. "You can't, darling. Still too dangerous for you. But you can help me; watch over the people while I am away. You are the princess of Talamaru, Isobel. Never forget where you have come from, or who made you who you are."

She kissed her daughter's forehead, whispered that she loved her, and quickly followed her husband to where the intruders were.

Isobel stood at the very edge of tree's opening. She watched with fear as her mother ran deeper and deeper into that unforgiving jungle.

She knew better than to follow, but she could not resist, and no one stopped her.

She climbed into the trees and scampered along the branches, hopping from tree to tree and getting soaked with rain, unnoticed, until she was above where her parents and the others were. It was from there that she saw the terrible things happen.

She had a clear view of the intruding warriors, who held the strange weapons her father spoke of. They were metallic, and looked heavy.

One of the Ta'li warriors asked who appeared to be the leader what they wanted.

The leader gave a smirk and held his weapon higher. Thunder clapped and Isobel was able to clearly see the face of the leader in a flash of lightning. "The gold. The emeralds. The rubies."

He gestured to Niloufar's crown with a gleam of greed in his eyes. He approached the sheikrah with his hand extended, as though he meant to rip her crown right off.

Wilan's eyes flashed and he quickly removed a dagger from his quiver, giving the leader's arm a good slice. The leader stepped back and held his now bleeding arm.

He snarled at Wilan and wasted no time in pointing his weapon at him. One of the Ta'li warriors shot an arrow at the leader, ruining his aim and instead he shot another warrior by mistake.

Niloufar had finally mustered the courage of a sheikrah, and she instantly drew an arrow against the leader.

But even though she was the quickest draw in the village, she was no match for a bullet.

Isobel stifled a scream as she clasped her hand over her mouth.

Wilan looked in shock at his dying wife, blood blooming from her chest. He whipped his head back to the leader, who held the strange smoking weapon, breathing heavily.

The Ta'li warriors were already attempting to avenge their queen, but they too miscalculated the deadliness of the newcomer's weapons, and were shot dead by the others.

Wilan jumped onto the leader. He had figured out this new weapon, and tried to change its direction, pointing it over the murderer's heart. He would have succeeded, had a flash of lightning not betrayed him. An intruder saw his leader in trouble, and shot Wilan in the shoulder. Wilan toppled off of the leader, landing on his back and grabbing at the pain screaming in his shoulder.

The leader rolled onto his feet and walked up to the king. Wilan looked him dead in the eyes. And then the leader shot him in the chest as well, his blood washing onto the grass below them.

Isobel looked on disbelievingly at her parents lying there, motionless, in the jungle that they had loved so much. Isobel shrunk back further onto the branches.

The leader approached her mother, and brutishly removed the crown from her head. He ripped the feathers from it, wanting only the headband. He and his men ran off into the forest.

Isobel clutched her knees to her chest, and the earth stopped rotating. She was in too much shock to cry, but her tears fell, mixing in with the rain.

"No." She repeated over and over again.

Eventually, when the rest of the village had come running to the strange, loud sounds, they found her and gave her over to her grandmother, who was also in a state of shock.

It was the night of sorrow.

The rain stopped, and the people little hundreds of tiny candles to float on the river that ran through the village in hopes of helping guide the spirits of their king and queen out of this life, and into the next.

Isobel held her grandmother's hand as they watched the candles bob like spirits on the water.

She held her mother's words in her head as best she could: " _Watch over the people while I am away…Never forget._ "

 **So how was that for a first chapter? Now we know exactly what happened on the night of Isobel's parents' deaths. And also I have a short pronunciation guide right here:**

 **Niloufar: Nee-loo-far**

 **Wilan: Wih-lAHn**

 **Qual'a: kwa-LAH**

 **Trorix: troar-EE**


	2. 6 Acid, 8 Base

Chapter 2: 6 Acid, 8 Base

It was nearing the end of January now, and New York was hoping to have said good-bye to its harshest storms. It seemed that the summer months were forever away, but for now, some certain zoo animals were making the most of the fresh snow in the park.

Very quietly, Isobel snuck up behind Julien, a perfect snowball in her hand. When she was about ten feet behind him, she threw it hard, and ducked behind a tree.

"What the-" Julien spun around, dusting the snow from the back of his head.

He looked to the tree Isobel was hiding behind. She knew that he would find her.

"I've found you!" Julien jumped in front of the tree, looking to where Isobel would be, but found that she was not there. He circled the tree trunk confusedly.

Isobel laughed silently from her perch high on a branch. She scraped some snow from the branch, making another snowball. She dropped it on Julien's head, but he was quick, and looked up in time to see her.

He laughed triumphantly and scaled the tree to join her. But she did not stay put, and instead backed to the tip of the branch. It bent a little from her weight.

Julien tipped his head in confusion, watching her.

Isobel looked him in the eyes, and then stepped right off the branch.

Julien gasped, and saw a flash of brown fly underneath the branch. He crawled as close to the edge as he could and looked down.

Mikhailov shot up, a grin on his face, and Isobel on his back.

"Got you, didn't we?" Isobel asked, smiling.

"Ha! Never." The look of horror on Julien's face was replaced with relief.

"Ve have practiced that vor hours!" Mikhailov exclaimed. "I think it's excellent scare tactic. Or escape maneuver."

"Scare? Psh." Julien crossed his arms. "You'd have to be doing way better than that."

"Really?" Isobel was suddenly behind him.

"Ach!" Julien screamed and practically toppled off the branch, but he caught himself with his legs. He hung upside down on the branch.

Isobel laughed and flipped over as well. Holding onto the branch with her hands, she flipped back down into the snow, landing so as not to hurt her ankles.

"How in the hecks do you do that?" Julien asked, still hanging upside down.

"Flipping off of a branch?" Isobel asked quizzically.

"No, I can do that." Julien copied what Isobel did. When he stood up in the snow he looked at Isobel. "I mean that popping up behind people and scaring them practically to de Spirit World!"

Isobel had a mischievous gleam in her eyes, but she shook her head. "I've had a lifetime of experience keeping out of sight."

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The two lemurs were on their way back to their habitat when they heard what sounded like an explosion coming from the penguin's HQ. Luckily, the zookeepers were away on a staff retreat.

"We should see what happened." Isobel said.

Mikhailov obliged and bowed down on one knee so he could transport them there in no time.

Julien got it, and shook his head. "Eh, no, I can be walking just fine."

Isobel flashed him a smile as she got onto Mikhailov's back. "What happened to nothing scares you?"

She held out her hand, and Julien sighed shakily.

He had barely sat on Mikhailov when the Firebird reared back up and took off above the park. Within just a few moments, he landed on the penguins' frozen moat, and the two lemurs dismounted him.

They could see the penguins were already evacuating HQ, and all of them were coughing, hacking practically. A whiteish gas was seeping out from the fish dish.

Isobel ran up to Skipper's side. "What happened?"

"Blasted – _cough_ – chemical reactants!" Kowalski bellowed.

"Science experiment gone hay-wire." Skipper told Isobel when he caught his breath.

Kowalski sighed and rubbed his temples. "Look, I suspected that if I combined an 8 base with a 6 acid, they would balance each other out. And now we know I was wrong! So, what, the place will uninhabitable for a few days."

Skipper looked at him crossly. "And just what do you expect us to use as a base until then, Einstein?"

Private's face lit up. "I'd say Marlene's since she's gone, but the zookeepers are renovating it right now. We could stay with Isobel and Julien then!"

"Whoa-ho-whoa!" Julien stepped between the two penguins, waving his hands. "You think that just because the smarty penguin's science thingy flipped out you can – "

"You're welcome to stay." Isobel told them.

"But they will leave the fishy smell everywhere." Julien objected.

Private shook his head. "We won't, promise."

Isobel nodded. "Either way, please stay with us. It could be fun."

Skipper thought about it for a moment, and then relented. "Alright, fine."

"It's like a mini-adventure, Skippa." Private told his leader as they walked to their temporary home. "And the habitat is big, I'm sure we'll stay out of each other's way."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Skipper told him. "Work on the Charley will be delayed. We leave in April, and there's still all the cosmetics to work on."

Private understood. "We'll get it done. Perhaps we can get it done faster with help from some thumbs."

 **So this is a pretty short chapter, but I thought it'd be better than nothing because I've already begun to neglect my stories. :P**


	3. Night with The Penguins

Chapter 3: Night with the Penguins

The night was chilly, and Alice had finally made a few of the zookeepers remove the heated lamps from the lemur habitat. Private and Rico helped build a little woodpile underneath the Lion Column to warm them. However, they could not find a lighter or any matches.

"Eet's okay, I've got eet." Mikhailov approached them. He opened his beak and exhaled a slow stream of orange flames onto the wood pile. A warm file now crackled for them.

Mikhailov looked at Private and Rico's awed faces. He chuckled.

"Vhy do you think we are called Virebirds?"

Everyone settled in, and Kowalski leaned back against the cement column. He had managed to grab a couple of their things during their evacuation, and one of them was his newest tracker. It was still in the prototype stages, but he figured he could test it now. He held it out in front of himself, and watched the radar beam move back and forth. It was supposed to track any movement giving off heat in the sky. He heard a helicopter approaching, but saw no dot appear on the screen.

He sighed. "Another failed invention."

Isobel looked at him. "But it is not even complete yet. You can't give up."

"I suppose." Kowalski clicked it off. "It didn't explode like usual, so that's a plus."

Mikhailov was laying like a big cat, with his paws out stretched and crossed in front of him, his head resting on them.

Isobel leaned back in the grass. It felt softer, not coarse like it had once it died during the winter storms. She looked down and was surprised to see tiny green sprouts budding through the earth. Spring was coming.

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When Isobel awoke the next morning, she instantly jumped down from the throne. She looked down onto the grass, where Mikhailov and the penguins were sound asleep. She leapt onto the grass, the melting snow crunching slightly under her feet.

After just under a month of training with the penguins, she was nearly back to her usual health.

She left the habitat and walked briskly towards the park. She knew exactly where she was going.

Just as she was about to leave the zoo, she heard someone following her, and saw that it was only Julien.

"Would you be minding if I came with you?" He asked.

"I didn't think you'd want to wake up so early." Isobel smiled a little.

Julien shrugged. "It's no matter, I have missed the way your father and I bicker as kings."

They crossed over into the park and into the clearing that would lead them to Atlantis.

When they were in the City Square, Isobel felt surreal. This place that had been her home for so long was beginning to drift away from her. Or, she was beginning to drift away from it. She sighed sadly and stepped closer to Julien.

They approached the doors to the Throne Room, and the same guards as usual were there.

"It is good to see you, Princess." The taller one smiled down at Isobel. "Atlantis misses you."

Isobel peered up at him but said nothing as she stepped into the room. She stopped when the doors shut as she saw someone speaking angrily with her father. He bore Atlantean markings but she did not recognize him.

They sensed they were being watched and stopped their arguing, and looked at Isobel and Julien.

The stranger straightened up and disappeared into the Hall of Kings.

Isobel crossed over the pond. "Who was that?"

The king closed his eyes in a frustrated way. "No one. Only an advisor. It was nothing of importance."

He sighed and smiled slightly. "How have you been, daughter?"

Isobel was no convinced, but she relaxed a little. She and the king exchanged pleasantries.

When they finished that and discussing how the city had grown a little stronger after a bountiful harvest, the king went silent to regard his daughter.

"Why have you grown so fast?"

Before Isobel could say anything, the king looked at Julien. "I remember when she was perhaps sixteen or seventeen, when I first began inviting suitors to meet her, the poor boys had one of two things in store for them; either running down the Hall screaming bloody murder, or having her sit on their chest and making them eat citrus peels until they promised to never come back."

"Oh, father." Isobel put her hand over her eyes.

But Julien's eyes were gleaming with a grin. "Shh, this is a very interesting story."

The king chuckled, eager to embarrass his daughter. "I remember each one perfectly. I know it was unwise of me to invite them in the first place, as she was young. I was placed into an arranged marriage when I was hardly sixteen. I was lucky, as we fell in love. But, Isobel had no interest in that. I only kept inviting them to see what trouble she would stir up! It was entertaining, and this was when we had many more options, when we were prosperous and I did not consider the suitors real possibilities. I do believe she pushed the suitor before Aleksander into the harbor. The guards had to fish him out!"

Isobel was blushing, but Julien only laughed, "She knocked my crown off and let a bunch of smelly sailors almost steal it."

Now the king laughed, his light grey eyes sparkling. "That is a new one. But I believe we have sufficiently embarrassed my daughter for one lifetime."

Isobel frowned at him, but he knew she was not mad, and he smiled back.

"You will come back to see me before you go, won't you?" He asked.

"Of course." Isobel nodded. "And…As for Atlantis, have you decided on an heir?"

The king nodded. "I have. At first he was not to my liking, but he had come to show me that he is worthy."

Isobel did not press further. She would find out eventually about the future king of Atlantis.

Soon, Isobel and Julien left to return to the zoo. Julien teased her a little about her past suitors, but Isobel managed to finally shut him up by saying, "Perhaps I should have chosen one of them, hmm?"

Now Julien frowned. "That is not being very funny."

Isobel flashed him a smile and her eyes lit up, much like the king's did when he smiled.

 **Just another laid back chapter, giving us information and such in preparation for the more exciting chapters later on! Thank you for reading and remember to review!**


	4. Cartography

Chapter 4: Cartography

Back at the lemur habitat, the penguins were sitting at the smoothie bar, maps and cartography paper splayed out before them.

Skipper decided that if they could not work on the Charley at the moment, they could at least map out Talamaru, to the best of Isobel's memory, and stories that Mikhailov had heard as a fawn.

"Talamaru has a strong magnetic field underneath all of its geography, including the ocean floor." Isobel began explaining to them. "Because of this, the patterns in our sky and the rhythm of the plants is vastly different from Madagascar's. Our weather system is also different, but our seasons are in tune with the rest of Madagascar,"

Kowalski was jotting all of this down. "What about landscape? What's there?"

Isobel knew what to say first. "The jungle is the heart of Talamaru. This is where all of our people and most of the other animals live. Beyond that to the east is the Valley, the desert. Farther than that is the ocean. But we do have a beach that is much safer just half a mile from our village in the jungle. Other than this…I do not remember."

Mikhailov stepped in. "To their north they have hills like een the Congo, Africa."

"Mountains." Kowalski corrected him.

Mikhailov gave him a look. "Eet does not snow, ees just more jungle."

Kowalski nodded. "Yes, but if you are referring to the 'hills' in the Congo Basin, those are actually mountains."

Mikhailov rolled his eyes. "Vhatever. Anyvay, tryink to map Talamaru geography een one day ees like mapping all of Europe's big cities een an hour."

Private nodded. "It's pretty impossible. We had to do it in grade school."

"And in the academy." Skipper took the toothpick he was chewing on out of his beak as he sketched a little on the cartography paper. "We'll get this down eventually. Kowalski, we need coordinates to log into the Charley should we need to engage auto-pilot."

"Working on it." Kowalski was using a magnifying glass to look at Madagascar carefully.

"So, with the magnetic field you were talking about," Private began timidly, not wanting to sound dumb, "Does that mean it affects compasses and all that."

Isobel nodded. "I'm glad you mentioned that. All of your compasses and gauges will not work once in Talamaru. They will just spin and send you the wrong way."

Julien thought about his new compass, which was safe inside a compartment in the smoothie bar. "What about mine?" He asked.

"That one is different." Isobel explained. "It does not tell direction, and so it will still work."

"We have to reconfigure all of this." Skipper swiped his flipper across their sketches.

Kowalski sighed, laying his head in his flippers. "Cartography was never my forte."

Isobel was very grateful to them for being so in depth with this, and she didn't like to see them stress about it. "We'll worry about mapping and coordinates later. Right now, I can explain to you about the climate and more specific geography."

The penguins nodded, and Kowalski leaned over the cartography paper, ready to jot and sketch.

Isobel drew a compass on the side of the paper for reference. "We do have east and west and all that, it's just that compasses do not work, and so we tell direction by geographical location and star mapping."

She began to explain everything, starting from the very soil. She started out very patient with their questions, as she was glad they wanted to learn. But thirty minutes later, when they were still stuck on latitude and longitude, she was nearly at the end of her rope.

"Easier to teach primitive humans!" She huffed.

"Why is the eastern border farther west than the western border!?" Kowalski was getting nervous.

"Because you drew it wrong!" Private pointed out. "Their geography isn't that backwards. Er, wait…"

"Okay." Skipper rubbed his flippers down his face in exasperation. His toothpick was a mere splinter now. "We'll resume this…Much later."

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The next morning, Kowalski decided to check and see if their HQ was habitable yet. He was surprised to find it completely clear, and he waddled back to the lemur habitat to let them know.

"I don't wanna leave!" Mort cried.

"What're you cryin' for, Mort?" Maurice asked him. "The penguins are moving back to their old place; not you."

"Oh, hehe." Mort giggled.

"Kowalski says we just have a few more adjustments to make to the heli." Skipper came up to Isobel. "And then we can start on the paint job. We'll glaze it, but could you jazz it up for us?"

"I'd love to." Isobel told him. "When should I come by?"

"Probably this afternoon." Skipper told her. "Oh, and thanks for getting Ringtail to let us stay."

"Of course, Skipper."

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Once they were back in their HQ, they went down the hatch. Skipper clicked on the lights in their underground warehouse, and the familiar whirring filled their ears.

"Let's get to work."

Rico had filled up their airbrush tool with glossy black paint. While he was mixing more and making sure it didn't dry up, the others taped off the windows and sealed the doors for a smooth paint job. Once they were done, Rico put a mask over his beak and began painting while the others stood back and watched.

Skipper examined their fine aircraft. They had mounted guns to the side, which of course were not yet loaded, and could fold into the heli when they weren't being used. He had asked Isobel if it was a good idea, and she told him it was.

" _You won't be the only thing flying in Talamaru._ " She had said.

"Do you think they'll be afraid of us?" Private suddenly asked him. "The natives, I mean. With our big noisy contraption and all."

"I have a feeling we're not going to be the scariest thing flying out there, Private." Skipper told him. "Or the biggest."


	5. Onciros

Chapter 5: Onciros

Isobel came by the penguins' later in the afternoon, as promised. She saw that the HQ was empty, and knew they were down below. She didn't know the passcode though, and decided to wait for one of them to come up.

Soon enough, Private opened the hatch and waved happily at her. "Come on!"

He took her down to the warehouse where they saw the others carefully removing the tape and plastic wrap.

"It's certainly improved." Isobel came up beside them. "I like the paint choice."

Skipper smiled, flippers on his hips. "Thanks, dollface."

"Have you decided what design you'll put on it?" Private asked Isobel.

Isobel was quiet for a moment, and then nodded slowly. "I think so. Rico, will you stay down here with me? I don't know how to use the airbrush."

"Uh-huh!" Rico nodded happily, readying his assorted paints.

"We'll leave you two kids to it." Skipper said as he and the others began to go back up to HQ. "Take your time."

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Isobel finished her intricate outline, and she and Rico stood back to make sure it wasn't crooked.

"What do you think?" She asked. She was feeling fatigued all of the sudden, but she brushed it off, as there was still work to be done.

"'Ooks good." He garbled.

When they were sure no more adjustments needed to be made, they started airbrushing.

There was a lot of detail, and it was a couple of hours before they were done.

They sat down on the ground, exhausted, and took off their masks. They couldn't completely see the finished product yet, as there was a lot of paper and tape around it to protect the rest of the paint.

After a few minutes, they peeled the paper back.

"Wow." Rico raised his brow. "'Is oo, Iz."

Isobel had sketched out a white cobra, arching back and hood flared, snout pointed towards the front of the helicopter. Behind that was a large rose compass, painted orange, blue, and red. It was true, the cobra was to her likeness, with hooped earrings and all. But she thought it was fitting, and went to get the penguins so they could see it as well.

"That's impressive." Skipper stood back to see all of it. "I like it!"

"It looks intimidating." Private countered. "I mean, I like it too, but it reminds me of – "

"When during World War II, American pilots painted sharks on their fighter planes to intimidate the Axis powers?" Kowalski finished for him.

"Exactly." Private nodded.

Isobel laughed. "Well we aren't trying to frighten anyone off."

"It doesn't hurt though." Skipper remarked. "Especially with what you said about not being the only thing out there."

Isobel looked at him. "Yes, but we shouldn't have anything to worry about. We will be safe." She smiled slightly. "Once we are there, we will all be wondering why we did not leave sooner."

Skipper smiled as well. "I don't doubt that."

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While walking back to her habitat, Isobel thought of how they had nothing to be afraid of when going to Talamaru. But when she remembered her dream of Clopar in the desert, she felt herself grow dizzy.

It was impossible though, for anyone to survive that walk. Anyone that she knew of, that was.

Her father had never told her precisely where he banished Clopar to, but she had the gnawing feeling that was exactly where he had been sent. But why would her father place him so close to her homeland? If he were to survive and cross into the southern boundaries –

Isobel leaned against a wall to support herself until her pounding heart calmed down. Trying to push the awful thoughts from her mind, she continued on. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

"Again?" Julien asked her. "We were just there."

"I can go by myself if you'd rather stay here." Isobel said. She was going back to Atlantis to question the king.

Julien shook his head. "I will come."

They walked back to the ancient city, and when Isobel approached the Throne Room, she was surprised to see no guards there.

She and Julien pushed open the heavy doors, and Isobel approached the throne, straight to the point.

"Where did you banish Clopar?" She asked him.

The king furrowed his brow at the sudden question. "You do not need to worry about that. He had been taken care of."

" _Onciros._ " Isobel spoke in Atlantean. "A dream. I saw Clopar, alive and well."

"Impossible." The king shook his head. "Where he was sent is completely unlivable."

"Where?" Isobel's voice grew shaky, and her head buzzed and she felt dizzy again.

The king sighed. "To the desert beside Talamaru. The Valley of-"

Before he could finish, Isobel fainted and fell to the floor, watching a thousand splendid suns explode in her vision.


	6. Time Heals All Wounds

Chapter 6: Time Heals All Wounds

As Mikhailov flew high above the city, towards the country again, he felt a sharp pain in his head and the air left his lungs.

He began to fall but he furiously flapped his wings and shook his head as he regained composure. For a moment, he thought nothing of it, but his eyes sprang open and he whipped around back towards the city, flying at a breakneck speed towards the zoo.

He practically fell into the lemur habitat, and he staggered up, breathing harshly.

"Vhere is she?!" he panted, looking at Maurice.

Maurice looked frightened. "What are you talking about, man, you're freaking me out!"

"Lady Aysobel." Mikhailov paced around nervously, his eyes still locked on the aye-aye. "I – I felt her. Somethink ees wrong. Virebirds feel vhen somethink happens to their Rider."

Maurice shook his head, still looking worried. "She's not here. She and Julien went to Atlantis just a little while ago."

Mikhailov nodded, catching his breath. " _Kharasho._ Okay. Eet must have…Must have been a vluke. She ees okay there."

Maurice nodded. "Yeah, it's cool there. Her dad would never let anything happen to her. It was a freak-thing, Mik. You can stay here to wait for them if you want to though."

" _Da._ " Mikhailov sat back on his haunches. "I vait."

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Isobel's eyes cracked open, her head hurting like mad. For a moment, she had no idea what had happened. But as she blinked a few times and saw the royal physician looking down at her, smelling salts in his hand, she figured that she had fainted.

The king and Julien crowded around her when they saw that she was awake.

"Isobel, you're okay!" Julien was elated. "You really scared me."

"What happened?" The king sat beside her, concern etching his face.

Isobel shook her head. "I don't know."

The physician stepped forward again. "Have you been eating? I see no signs of dehydration though."

Isobel thought for a moment, but Julien answered for her. "Not today. I told her to eat breakfast but she was all, 'No, I am too busy.'"

The physician nodded. "That could do it. But, could you describe your feeling for me? Before you lost consciousness?"

Isobel took a breath. "My head was buzzing, like I could not see straight. And my heart felt as though it would leap from my chest, and my hands and feet felt numb. This happened twice today, but, this was the first time I fainted."

The physician tilted his head a little. "Anything particular trigger this?"

Isobel looked at the king, but spoke to the physician. "I was remembering something that happened to me…And someone…"

The king told the long story to the doctor, of Isobel being kidnapped and about Clopar.

The physician nodded the whole way, and took a deep breath after the king was finished, and looked at Isobel.

"PTSD." He said matter-of-factly. "It's common after a traumatic incident, especially one like that. The PTSD is what's giving you anxiety, and causing the feelings you described to me. It should subside in time, but until then, take plenty of time to relax and keep your mind off of those things. You will be alright. And it seems you are also in no imminent danger at this time, so all that's left to worry about is you getting better. I have herbs to make tea from that should help. You can drink it before you sleep, as plenty of deep sleep is crucial for the brain to repair itself."

Isobel's head was already swimming again with this new information.

Julien could see this, and he reached down to hold her paw for support. She gave it a squeeze, and started to relax slightly.

After the doctor left a box of the herbs with the king, he left the Throne Room.

"Leave me and my daughter." The king said quietly to Julien. "I would like to speak with her."

Julien looked at Isobel, and she nodded for him to go and wait in the hall.

Once he left, Isobel sat up.

The king was looking down at his hands, and when he breathed in, his shoulders shook.

"Father?" Isobel furrowed her brow as she leaned closer to him.

The king looked at her, tears leaking from his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Isobel's heart shattered at this sight, and her tears began to flow as well. "How could any of this have been your fault?"

He reached over to hold his daughter's hands. "I should have taken better precautions when choosing my advisor. Choosing the man to watch over my only daughter. And now, because I didn't…"

He couldn't go on, and Isobel embraced him. "None of this happened because of you." She assured him. "You have done your best to watch over me. No one here is at fault."

They stayed this way for a few more minutes, and the king pulled away. He picked up a square cloth from his dais and used it to wipe Isobel's tears away, and then his own.

"In time." He said. "Things will heal."

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Isobel found Julien pacing the Hall, hands behind his back.

He didn't see her right away, and she paused to watch him. She had always loved his carefreeness, even as soon as they met. She loved his easy laugh and how he was rarely in a hurry to do anything other than have fun. But in this moment, she saw worry make his shoulders rigid, no smile on his face. She did not like to think that it was like that because of things that happened to her.

"Julien?"

He stopped pacing and turned to her. She did not approach him, but stood where she was, box of herbs in hand.

He assessed her for a moment; she looked…withered. Beautiful and withered, like a flower closing up.

He approached her, and opened his mouth to speak, but he had no words.

"I am sorry." He finally said. "If I had been awake that day I could have –"

But Isobel shook her head and reached up to place her fingertips over his mouth.

"I want no more of these apologies. Clopar is…Was, at fault, and no one else."

Julien still looked sad, but he said nothing more.

Isobel moved her hand away, and looked down at the box. "I might have to go to the penguins' to make this."

"That would be good." Julien said quietly. He cleared his throat. "We'll get through this. Uh, I don't really know anything about…PT…P…The thing, but the doctor guy said you will get better. So I will help you."

Isobel smiled a little. "You're already sticking to your resolution."

Julien tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"You said you wanted to be a better listener, and a better king." Isobel explained. "And you already are."

 **Things took a turn, didn't they?**


	7. Kowalski's Invention

Chapter 7: Kowalski's Invention

It was dark when Isobel and Julien made it back to the zoo.

Isobel was surprised to see Mikhailov there, and he jumped up when he saw her.

"Are you alright, my lady?" He asked, concerned.

Isobel nodded. "Yes."

He scrunched his eyebrows together. "No, Lady Aysobel. Tell me truth. No secrets."

Isobel sighed and sat beside her Firebird. She told him everything, including once again about Clopar and what he had done. Mikhailov looked nothing but angry during that part, but as Isobel went on, all the way up until now, his face grew softer, and sadder.

"Oh, Aysobel." His ears drooped a little. "I have no vords. I am here to protect you now though."

"Thank you, Mik." Isobel said softly.

Maurice had overheard. He already knew what had happened to her, but he did not know about her new diagnosis.

"What's in the box?" he asked.

"Herbs." Isobel replied. "To make into a tea. The physician said it would help."

Maurice nodded. "I'll make some right now. We have a kettle and hot plate somewhere."

Isobel handed him the box, and Mikhailov laid beside her.

A little while later, Maurice returned with a steaming cup of the tea.

Even after only a few sips, Isobel was feeling tired. After she finished the last of it, she nestled into Mikhailov's fur, and fell asleep.

Maurice looked around the habitat for Julien. When he spotted him, he walked up to him.

"You doing okay, man?"

Julien nodded slightly. "I am only worried for her. I do not like to see her so sad."

Maurice sighed. "I know. But, you gotta know, none of this is because of you. Things happen. Now we all just have to do the right thing and help her out. That's all we can do. You've had long day too, why don't you get some sleep?"

"Soon, Maurice." Julien looked away. "Soon."

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Almost two weeks passed by. Within that time, Isobel and Julien had both told the penguins about her diagnosed condition. They were not worried, but they felt sadness in their hearts for her. Private promised that they would do anything to help, and they all agreed completely.

Isobel had also gotten a little better. She had had four bouts of anxiety since then, but none of them involved passing out. Julien and Mikhailov were constantly by her side, and it had even begun to annoy her a little. But she knew they were just concerned and allowed them that.

Mikhailov was planning on accompanying Isobel to Atlantis that day, not just to keep an eye on her, but so he could finally meet the king.

As soon as they left, Julien ran up to his advisor.

"Maurice! It is being Valentine's Day soon." His spirits had lifted with Isobel's health returning. "I want it to be the most romantic-y thing she has ever been laying her eyes on."

"Right on." Maurice nodded. "It's tomorrow, so we only have so much time. What do you plan on doing?"

Julien rested his head on his palm for a moment, deep in thought. "Well, eh, I did not think this far. I've never planned something like this before."

Maurice chuckled. "Don't worry, man, I got you. Look, I drew up plans a long time ago. It's been a gem."

He pulled out a piece of paper from the smoothie bar, and slid it over to Julien.

Julien surveyed it, a smile growing on his face. "This is genius, Maurice, you sneaky monkey!"

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Private was humming a tune as he sat cutting paper hearts in the HQ. He loved Valentine's Day, even if he had no one in particular to think about during the holiday.

"I was thinking we should all send cards to Marlene." Private said. "We didn't get to see her when we planned to, so I'm sure she'd like that."

Skipper nodded, absent-mindedly looking out one of their windows. "Sure, Private. Sign one for me."

Private furrowed his brow and put down his scissors. He looked at his leader. "Are you alright, Skippa?"

Skipper nodded. "Mm-hmm."

Private shook his head, knowing that wasn't true.

Kowalski was hard at work in his lab and Rico was completely absorbed in an action movie (to ignore all the sappy goop of Valentine's that made him ill), so Private knew he could talk openly to Skipper.

"What's going on?"

Skipper sighed. He'd already confided in Private pretty much everything, so there was no use in hiding it. "I'm worried about Isobel."

Private nodded in understanding. "She'll be okay. She has all of us and the king's physician to take care of her. She'll be right as rain in no time. She's already doing better now."

"I know." Skipper finally looked away from the window. "Just…Well, you know."

Private nodded again, remembering their conversations from previous times.

Before Skipper could say anything, Kowalski came out of the lab, quickly shutting the door behind him.

Skipper and Private looked over at him as he peeled his goggles off.

"'Walski?" Skipper raised an eyebrow at him.

Kowalski looked up at him, a shocked expression on his face. "I…I've done it. I've completed an invention. It works and everything. Fully functional."

"What is it?" Private asked.

"Come in, come in." Kowalski, to their surprise, eagerly invited them into his lab.

Sitting front and center on his lab table was the tracker he had tested during their night at the lemurs'. But it was different now; larger, with more buttons and gadgets, and also shinier.

"Observe." Kowalski picked it up and booted it up.

Within a few moments, they could clearly see a few dots beginning to scatter across the screen.

"It picks up everything." He explained. "This cluster here is a flock of birds. This small dot is a helicopter, and the larger dot is a jumbo jet. Also, I took into consideration what Isobel said about our magnetic technology most likely not working in Talamaru. There are no magnets in here! It's full of…Well, a scientist never reveals his secrets."

"Well done, Kowalski." Skipper clapped him on the back. "Should come in use to us."


	8. Saint Valentine's and All

Chapter 8: Saint Valentine's And All

Earlier in the day, Isobel and Mikhailov were in Atlantis. The Throne Room, to be exact.

It had been odd walking through the City Square. None of the Atlanteans had heard of a Firebird, let alone seen one before. Some were clearly afraid, backing away into their merchant stalls or hurriedly moving on. Others had thought of Mikhailov as a powerful creature, and reached out to touch his sides, hoping his strength would heal them or give them prosperity.

He did not like that at first, and glared down at the lemurs, but Isobel laid a hand on his shoulder and explained why they did this. He relaxed a little, and reluctantly allowed them to do this.

When they reached the Throne Room, after passing by the guards, the king looked up from a table near his dais. It seemed he was looking over maps.

He saw Isobel, and smiled, and then his aging eyes focused on Mikhailov. Isobel was worried at first that his presence might upset the king, as he was old and may have had superstitions that Isobel was unaware of.

But much to her relief and surprise, her father grinned even wider. He clasped his hands behind his back and walked down the steps, speaking aloud in Russian.

Mikhailov was elated. " _Govorite pa-Ruski_? Haha! How did you know?"

"How could I not?" The king chuckled. "You look every bit as Russian as St. Basil's. But I am surprised that you did not know that I speak Russian as well. Where do you think my daughter learned it?"

Mikhailov smiled and laughed a little. "Lady Aysobel's Russian ees rusty like nails. But she ees gettink better."

Isobel smiled, genuinely. "So sorry I do not practice my fifth language regularly."

"Fifth?" The king looked at her quizzically.

Isobel nodded. "First, Ta'li. And then Atlantean, and French and English were taught to me simultaneously. But there's also some Spanish... I can't keep track. We'll say fifth."

The king shrugged and nodded. "This is true. But you are being modest! Knowing Ta'li grants you an additional two languages at least."

"Perhaps." Isobel said languidly.

The king looked back to Mikhailov. "We are linguaphiles here in Atlantis, as you can tell."

Mikhailov nodded. " _Znat' odin jazyk nikogda nedostatoĉno._ One language ees never enough."

"So tell me." The king sat back on his throne. "How did this come about? I know of Firebirds and their Riders in Ta'li culture. But how did you meet?"

Isobel and Mikhailov looked at each other and smiled.

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Later on, the penguins finished their cards to Marlene. Private was excited that they could all do crafts together, and even happier that everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Kowalski was in a good mood from finishing a successful invention, Rico was happily coloring an explosion on his card, and Skipper was actually putting an effort into cutting out hearts that he would glue to the card.

"Hearts, Skippa?" Private asked with a smile.

"Huh?" Skipper looked up from his cutting. "Well, it's for Valentine's Day."

Private giggled. "Right, but maybe you don't want to give Marlene the wrong impression. Unless…?"

Skipper shook his head. "You're right. We'll save these for later or something. I'll make something different."

Private smiled a little sadly, but he went back to pasting cutouts of cupids onto a card.

When they were finished, Private sealed all of the cards into a large manila envelope, and asked Kowalski to write down the address.

Kowalski looked at it blankly with a pen in his flipper. He had been spending a lot of time inventing, and not enough time practicing his reading and writing.

But Private encouraged him, and brought out one of Kowalski's grammar books as a guide. Eventually, Kowalski was able to address it and put a stamp on it, and they went on the risky mission of taking the envelope to a mail box in the city.

They found one just a block away from the zoo, and once the coast was clear enough, they created their signature '"penguin ladder", and mailed it on its way. They quickly high-oned and made their way back to the zoo.

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"You are happier, Lady Aysobel." Mikhailov commented once they left Atlantis.

Isobel nodded slightly, noticing this herself. She rubbed her thumb absentmindedly over the ring her father had passed down to her for her birthday. "I feel as though I am. The teas must be working."

" _Da,_ and eet makes me happy to see you this vay." Mikhailov looked ahead. "Less vorried."

Isobel remembered something, and she smiled. "Do you have anyone special for tomorrow, Mik?"

Mikhailov had to think about what tomorrow would be, and then he huffed. " _Nyet!_ I have no time vor females. Too stubborn, too indecisive, too – sorry, Aysobel."

Isobel laughed. "It sounds as though you did once."

Mikhailov shrugged, and ruffled his feathers. "No. But sometimes I vish I did."

Isobel looked at her Firebird. "Someone will come around."

Mikhailov nodded. "Perhaps someday."

When they returned to the habitat, they saw no sign of Julien, Mort, or Maurice.

But the trio was not far away, and in fact had gone to pay Bada and Bing a visit.

"Please?" Julien asked the primates. "We, uh, we will pay you, of course!"

"With what?" Maurice narrowed his eyes at Julien, who had obviously not thought this through.

Julien elbowed his advisor and smiled nervously at Bada.

Bada, who was sitting in his tire swing, scratched his chin. At first he had been very mad that they interrupted his lazy afternoon, but now that Julien mentioned payment, he was willing to think it over.

"So," he said, "You's wants us to get our guy wit the connections to get all of these things on this list by _tomorrow_?"

"Mhm," Julien nodded and wrung his hands.

Bada sat back a little, almost smiling at the king. "Tomorrow is a particularly busy holiday, if you's wasn't inclined to know dat. Saint Valentine's and all. The fee might be, well, how would we's call it, Bing?"

"Exceptional." Bing piped up.

"Exceptional." Bada repeated. "Phenomenal even. And at such short notice? I should be takin' your money just for the energy I spent even considering this uproarious offa here."

"But, eh, you won't because you are being the decent guys, right?" Julien laughed nervously.

Bada smiled maliciously. "Right. So, yeah, we can get this done. Everything on this list. Payment is due tomorrow. On the dot."

"On de dot, yes, yes." Julien nodded. "Thank you, hideous, I mean, _handsome_ , suspiciously-criminal monkeys!"

Bing scrunched up his face. "Gorillas."

Julien waved him off. "Whatever you like. We will be seeing your gifts tomorrow!"

The lemurs left the gorilla habitat, Julien beaming.

Maurice finally exploded at him, dragging Mort along so he wouldn't run into Burt's habitat on accident. "King Julien! Just exactly what are you planning on paying them with? Those guys will kill us! I can't believe you even asked them in the first place."

"Do not worry, Maurice." Julien reassured him. "I am having this under complete control."


	9. A Completely Mismatched Day

Chapter 9: A Completely Mismatched Day

The next day, Isobel awoke, curled up on the throne like usual, the musk ox shawl Mikhailov had given her draped around her.

Mikhailov had left in the night to hunt and do whatever it was that he did when he was away.

Isobel stretched a little. She closed her eyes again for a minute, but her ears began to twitch as she picked up clicking and grinding noises. They were very annoying, and she sat up. Looking around the habitat, she didn't immediately spot the location the noises were coming from. But when she glanced to the smoothie bar, she saw Julien standing behind it, staring down at the blender, pressing buttons and then getting flustered and turning it off.

She smiled and pushed off the shawl and jumped down.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she sauntered over to him.

"Oh, Isobel!" Julien looked up with a smile as he accidently pressed a button, sending the top of the blender flying and causing some kind of mushed fruit to splatter on his crown. "I was just trying to make you a Valentine's Day smoothie."

Isobel laughed, but she knew it was a sweet gesture, as he had never made his own smoothie a day in life. She handed him one of the towels on the bar, and he wiped off his crown.

"I think you're supposed to hold the lid down." Isobel pointed down with her finger and nodded to the blender.

"I was going to try that next." Julien said matter of factly, even though he had not even thought about that.

He retrieved the lid, added more fruit and yogurt since half of it had spilled, and tried again. This time, it worked, and he poured them both little glasses of it.

"What do you think?" Julien rested his elbows on the bar as he looked at Isobel.

She sniffed it, and took a small sip. Instantly, she brought her hand to her mouth and shook her head.

"I think the yogurt is curdled."

"What?" Julien didn't know what that meant. "It's still good."

He reopened the container and took a whiff. He threw his head back and dropped the container.

"Oh, whoa! No, okay, yeah, that is very bad."

He looked back at Isobel, embarrassed, but a smile grew on her face, and she began to laugh again. Soon enough, he joined in, as it really was pretty funny.

"Thank you though." Isobel told him. "I'm sure it would be good."

Julien shrugged. "Eh, maybe. But this was actually the lamest part of the day! Because…Well that is a secret."

"I can't wait to find out about this secret." Isobel smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Well be prepared to be amazed." Julien said confidently. He actually did not even know if Bada and Bing had upheld their end of the deal. But he would have faith and could always just wing it in case. Although it would be pretty hard to wing this surprise. "Oh where is the Russian guy?"

"He's out flying." Isobel nodded towards the city. "Why?"

"I might need him." Julien said.

Isobel gave him a strange look. "Alright. Well, he'll be back later I'm sure."

"Okay." Julien nodded, looking down. Then he looked back at Isobel, a quizzical look on his face. "Do you have a passport?"

Now Isobel was really confused. "What's going on?"

"Ugh, I have said too much. I cannot keep my kingly mouth shut!" Julien laughed nervously. "Uh, I'll see you later!"

He sped off, probably to find Maurice.

Isobel raised an eyebrow, but she shook her head. "Men."

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The penguins woke up late, and Skipper took them outside for some re-energizing tai chi. He saw Isobel approaching them, and stopped to stand at attention.

"Isobel, what's happening?" Skipper asked her.

"Julien is acting strange." Isobel shook her head. "Mind if I join you?"

Skipper shook his head. "Not at all. Make room, men."

Isobel stood beside Private, and followed along with them.

"How's your Valentine's day going?" he asked her.

"It started out well." Isobel said. "But I don't know what happened.

Private nodded. "Maybe he's just nervous. He'll come round."

Isobel sighed. "I know. Do you guys have any plans today?"

"Nope. But we sent letters to Marlene." Kowalski replied.

Isobel smiled now. "Oh really?"

"Not like that." Skipper rolled his eyes. "We just thought it would be right. Considering all attempts to visit her have failed."

Isobel nodded in understanding. "She'll love them."

Skipper looked back at her, and the sunlight reflected off of her ring, and it caught his eye.

"Uh," his eyes widened. "What is that?"

The others stopped as well to see what he was looking at.

"My ring?" Isobel twisted it with her other hand.

"Clearly." Skipper nodded.

Isobel understood why it had caught his attention. "Oh! No, it was a gift from my father. It belonged to his wife, and he wanted me to have it. I just started wearing it recently."

"Oh." Skipper was, he hated to admit, relieved. "It's nice."

He continued with the tai chi, and the others followed suit.

Isobel looked at him curiously before dropping her hand away from her ring. She went back to exercising.

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"Okay, hold up, hold up." Maurice closed his eyes and took a breath. He reopened them. "Why are you so freaked out? I know asking Bada and Bing for these things was a bad idea, but it's not like they're hard to get. It's pretty much flowers and chocolate with fruit in the middle."

"Eh." Julien smiled sheepishly. "I may have made a few adjustments."

Maurice knew that couldn't be good. "Do you have a copy? I knew I should've read the list beforehand."

Julien pulled out his copy, and handed it over to Maurice.

Immediately, Maurice looked as though he would have a heart attack. "You asked for _this_? This isn't even _close_ to the list I gave you! Julien, what the –"  
"Hey, there are still flowers on there." Julien cut him off and pointed to the end of the long list. "See?"

Maurice glared at him, wanting to roll up the list and smack him over the head with it. "Dude, talk about short notice. This is so last minute, man. Bada and Bing are definitely killing us now."

"Well that would be hard for them to do if we're on a plane, silly." Julien put his hands on his hips. "Besides, we have a big scary guy on our side."

Maurice shook his head. "No way, we are not having Kowalski super-size Mort again. Talk about a nightmare."

"What? No, Maurice." Julien shook his head. "Mik! That guy can definitely scare away Bada and Bing. They are like totally wimpy beside him."

"I guess." Maurice sighed, feeling a little empathetic for Julien. "You are really going all out aren't you?"

Julien straightened up and crossed his arms. "What better way for a king to impress his woman?"

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After the penguins finished their exercise for the day, Skipper invited Isobel in for early lunch, but she declined.

"I should go back." She said. "Maybe Julien has figured himself out by now."

Skipper nodded. "Alright. We'll be here all day, just in case."

Isobel took the long way back, just for extra time to think. She zigzagged through the zoo. She waved at Joey when she passed by his habitat, and he waved back before giving his punching bag a swift kick.

Isobel noticed that Bada and Bing were gone, only because they always tried hitting on her whenever she passed by. She always ignored them and just rolled her eyes because she did not care about them in any way. But it was weird to her that they were gone. They were too lazy to ever go anywhere.

But she shook her head and went on.

When she climbed over the wall and into the lemur habitat, she stopped cold in her tracks. Absolutely everything was in disarray.


	10. Revealing the Secret

Chapter 10: Revealing the Secret

"Where is our money?!" Bada cornered Julien, Maurice and Mort shaking behind him.

Bing was running around trashing the place, throwing fruits all over and tearing down their decorations.

"Well, eh, you see, there is a pressing situation –" Julien tapped his fingers together but Bada cut him off.

"I think you're in a more _pressing_ situation." Bada growled and moved closer to the lemurs.

Isobel had to think fast. Her bow and arrows were too far away, and there was no time to run and get the penguins. She moved her heavy ring to her right middle finger, should she need it.

 _Mikhailov._ She thought. She already knew he could feel her pain, but could he feel her panic?

She would have to try.

"Bada!" She shouted, heart hammering.

He looked over at her, and she put her hands on her hips, standing up straight.

"Well." Bada smiled. "You didn't tells me _this_ was your girl."

"Yes, everyone is always so surprised." Julien rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I thought she was one of them penguins' girls, she's always hanging around over there." Bing commented.

"Ha!" Julien laughed. "As if."

Bada only turned and growled at him. "Ain't nobody talkin' to you, King Clueless."

Isobel gritted her teeth, walking a little closer. "What are you doing here?"

 _Where are you, Mik?_

"Well your royal boyfriend Sir Doofus ovah here asked a favor of us yesterday." Bada smirked, also stepping closer to her. "It's a pretty big one, and he owes us."

Isobel whipped her head in Julien's direction. "You did this?"

Julien opened his mouth to speak, but Bada beat him to it. "Sure did. And we need payment. _Immediately._ "

Bada eyes flicked to Isobel's hoop earrings, glittering with diamonds. His eyes widened.

"Those'll do!"

Isobel was shocked that he actually tried to reach for them, but she was ready, and she moved her weight to her right foot, arching back her shoulder.

 _Pow!_

She punched Bada right on the cheek, and he side stepped, reaching up to feel his stinging face. Isobel's ring had left an angry red stamp shaped like the Atlantean symbol.

The other lemurs gawked, mouth agape, and Isobel shook her wrist. It had hurt to throw a punch that hard and she was sure she made a connection with his cheek bone.

Both Bada and Bing looked stunned. But that quickly wore off and turned to rage.

Before Isobel had a chance to decide what to do next, she heard a familiar flap of wings, and Mikhailov dropped down in front of her, swishing his tail and splaying his wings out to make himself look larger. He faced the two gorillas, a low growl rising from his throat.

"Can I help you?" He asked intimidatingly.

Now Bada and Bing looked terrified. Bing took off back to their habitat, and Bada stood there stammering.

"Well, uh, you see, they, uh – Nope! No time for this!" He also ended up running off, no promises of vengeance.

Once they were out of sight, Mikhailov let out his breath, and lowered his head.

"Are you alright, Mikhailov?" Isobel asked him.

"I flew vrom New Jersey." Mikhailov rolled his eyes up towards her. "Lady Aysobel vhy do you attract the villains?"

Isobel crossed her arms now. "It wasn't me this time."

Mikhailov caught his breath, and he looked over at the other lemurs coming out of their corner.

"You?" He focused on Julien. "You put her een danger?"

"Look, I wasn't meaning to!" Julien relaxed with the two toughs gone. "I just…I was planning something special for Valentine's."

Isobel's face softened a little, but she let Mikhailov speak.

"Oh, that ees funny!" Mikhailov rolled his eyes. "Bringing thugs near her. Some romantic geeft."

"Ha, you're funny." Julien crossed his arms now, not laughing in the slightest. "We're actually going to Brazil." And then his eyes went wide, realizing he had made a mistake by revealing that. "I mean…Yeah, I don't even know what that could have sounded like."

"Brázil?" Isobel said quietly as she unfolded her arms and walked over to Julien. "Tonight?"

Julien smiled at her, knowing she wasn't mad anymore. "Yeah, it is Carnaval this week. I thought you would like it."

Isobel's eyes glittered and she smiled back, but before she could say anything, Mort jumped between them and said, "Yayy, carnival! Cotton candy!"

"Not like that, Mort!" Julien pushed him down. "You wouldn't understand."

"Who will come with us?" Isobel asked him.

Julien frowned a little, but he understood she probably wouldn't be comfortable going with only him just yet. "Well, whoever you want. But you gotta decide like right now cos we're already late!"

Isobel thought quickly. "This is a one chance opportunity."

Julien nodded a little and shrugged. "Well I mean it happens every year but sure."

She looked up at him. "Let's take the penguins. They are lonely. And Mort and Maurice, of course."

Mikhailov ruffled his feathers, and Isobel looked over at him, asking if he wanted to come.

Mikhailov shook his head. " _Nyet._ Ees not my scene." And then he glared sternly at Julien. "But you vatch over her like hawk. I am _not_ vlying to Brazil."

"No problem." A sly smile crossed Julien's face and Mikhailov growled a little.

Isobel and Julien hurriedly ran over to the penguins' while Maurice packed their things in a rush. He figured they wouldn't be staying long, but he didn't want to under-pack.

Isobel dropped down through the fish dish, and the penguins turned around. They were in the 'living room' watching an action movie.

They saw that she had obviously run there, but she looked happy, so it wasn't a matter of life and death.

Skipper raised an eyebrow. "Isobel, what-"

"Come to Rio de Janeiro with us."

 **Well, looks like they're going on an unexpected trip! Also, just for anyone that doesn't know, Carnaval is an annual celebration in Brazil that occurs about 45 days before the Catholic fast of Lent, which is one month before Easter. Anyways, Carnaval is this huge week-long party basically. There are parades and dancing and festivities and all that. They display it well in the movie** ** _Rio._** **Thanks for reading and remember to review! (:**


	11. Flying to Brazil

Chapter 11: Flying to Brazil

When Isobel first asked the penguins if they would go to Brazil with them, the penguins thought she was joking.

But Julien butted in and said, "Eh, no, she's not kidding. But we have to be going like right now."

Private was the first to get excited. "Really? For Carnaval? Skippa, we have to! It's magical!"

Skipper shook his head. "Private, we can't just up and leave everything."

Kowalski pulled out his notebook, and rapidly flipped through the pages. "Actually, Skipper, we can. We have exactly nothing planned for roughly 31 days."

Private and Rico both jumped up, begging Skipper.

"The dancing!" Private said. "The floats!"

"Kaboom!" Rico exclaimed, referring to the many hundreds of fireworks that would go off during the night.

Skipper sighed. "Alright, alright! Looks like we're heading to Rio."

Everyone cheered and set to work packing.

Isobel was elated, but some reality sunk in, and she looked at Julien. "I never asked, how are we getting there?"

Julien smiled. "That is one of de best parts! Come on, I'll show you."

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"Wow, he really went all out." Skipper commented to Maurice as they all walked through the park, luggage in tow.

"I know." Maurice nodded. "Not quite sure how we're going to get out of paying this back though."

The group was approaching a small charter plane, situated in a secluded section of the park.

An Egyptian mongoose was standing beside the staircase leading up to the plane. He wore a blue pilot's hat, and also a blue tie. Although he was a species native to most of Africa, when he spoke, it was clear that he was from Portugal.

" _Boa tarde, senhora e senhores_." He had a confident but not boasting voice. "I am your captain, Benedito. And I will be your pilot for this afternoon and for your return flight tomorrow. Please, come aboard."

Mort pushed his way forward, squealing with delight, and Maurice trotted after him, struggling with their bags. Isobel and Julien followed them, and then the penguins came in.

The interior was posh, with red seats and silver accents. Everyone took a seat, and the pilot stood at the front of the cabin.

"Apologies, usually my in-flight attendant makes the introductions, but she is away on business." Benedito smile and adjusted his tie. "But we will be taking off now, and should arrive in Rio de Janeiro in about ten hours."

Skipper did the math in his head, and realized they wouldn't be there until practically the middle of the night.

Benedito could see that everyone was quickly realizing the same thing. "Do not worry, that time of the night is when the celebrations truly come to life! Just don't bring anything valuable with you, eheh."

Within a few minutes, Benedito was preparing them for take-off, and they were bound for Brazil.

Once everyone was comfortable, they started chattering about what Carnaval would be like, and how exciting it was to take a day, well, night trip like this. And they intended to make the most of it since they knew they were coming home the day after next; or so they thought.

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Five hours into the flight, everyone was taking a nap so they would be energized for the long night ahead of them.

Benedito was occasionally communicating back and forth with secret air-traffic control towers. He was used to long flights like these, and was doing so at least six days a week.

After he finished reaffirming his location with a controller, he received an incoming Bluetooth call. He clicked the button on his headset, instantly knowing who it would be.

"Good afternoon, sir." He said politely.

" _How are my passengers doing_?" An accented voice came over the headset.

"They are resting." Benedito answered in his same upbeat voice. "Very excited for Carnaval, I'm sure."

The headset crackled. " _Of course._ _While they are there, make sure they see nothing. Let them have a night at the festival, and then bring them back immediately. They are not allowed to wander. My…businesses tend to overlap in Rio. They cannot see anything. Goodbye._ "

"Of course, sir." Benedito clicked off the Bluetooth, and smiled. "Of course."

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Everyone awoke abruptly to some turbulence. Benedito's voice came over the intercom.

"Sorry for that, passengers, but we are only a few minutes from our destination! Please remain seated and I will let you know when you can exit."

Isobel stretched and looked over at Julien. "I cannot believe I slept the whole time."

"We all did." Skipper piped up. "Which is weird. I never sleep on public transportation. Or any transportation. I always have to be on high alert."

"Well we had a good pilot." Private mentioned. "I guess we all just felt safe enough to sleep."

"Hmm." Skipper scrunched his face a little, still not liking it.

Just as Benedito had said, within a few minutes, they landed in a clearing in the jungle. He instructed them to walk about half a mile eastward, and they would reach the parades.

"And return here as soon as the sun comes up." He said sternly but with a smile. "No later."

Maurice decided they could leave their bags on the plane, and Skipper had Rico swallow anything important that they couldn't leave behind.

And then they stepped out of the plane, and into the jungle. It was very dark, and frankly, a little creepy. There were strange sounds from the animals of the night, and there were definitely bugs crawling around in the trees and the forest floor.

"Well," Skipper spoke up for all of them. "We're here. Let's get moving."

 **Well, what's up with Benedito? And what are some of our favorite characters going to get themselves into? We'll find out when I update, which I will try to do soon! Thanks for reading and please review.**


	12. Fireworks and Heartbreak

Chapter 12: Fireworks and Heartbreak

Skipper brushed a spider-web out of everyone's way, but was grossed out when he discovered that it just stuck to his flipper.

After he brushed it off, he got back in line, giving a suspicious glance around.

"Guys, this is getting pretty weird." Maurice pointed out. "I mean the dude just dropped us off in the middle of nowhere. You got us in with some sketchy people, King Julien."

Julien waved him off. "Nonsense, Maurice! We will be getting there in no time. Eh, if we don't get lost."

A theoretical lightbulb went off over Skipper's head. "Hey, 'Walski, did you bring that GPS with you?"

"Absolutely." Kowalski nodded. "Rico, if you would."

Rico obliged and hacked up Kowalski's new GPS/tracker.

Everyone stood around in a huddle while Kowalski powered it up.

Isobel looked up through the canopy of trees and saw the moon. At least that was there to give them some light.

The solar/lunar panels on the GPS tilted up, and the mini satellite dish mounted on it began to turn in circles, picking up their location. Once it did, the screen lit up, and a red dot blinked in the middle of a map.

"Well, we certainly are in Brazil." Kowalski noticed straight away. "And we are a little less than half a mile from Rio de Janeiro."

Skipper nodded. "Good, so we weren't lied to."

"Of course not." Julien folded his arms. "I told you, these guys are like legit."

"Which way should we go, Kowalski?" Private asked.

"We need to take a left right now." Kowalski instructed. "And we'll continue that way for three hundred feet, and then take a right, and so on and so forth."

Skipper took the lead, and they began their walk. Once they got further from the landing sight, the jungle began to seem a little friendlier. There were no birds this time of night, but some polite reptiles tried to help them, even though they didn't speak English and no one in the group knew Portuguese.

Soon enough, the lemurs' sensitive ears could pick up the pulsing noises of parade music. Everyone picked up the pace, and suddenly they were out of the forest and nearing the city. They could all hear the celebrations and see the lights now.

Once they finally reached the streets, they all stopped in their tracks to gawk at the spectacle. Everything was an explosion of color. Dancers in exotic costumes twirled through the streets, performers on floats threw plastic, beaded necklaces and sweets to the cheering crowds below them, and since the crowd was either too entranced or intoxicated, no one noticed the group of animals weaving in between them.

Maurice had a tight grip on Mort, as it would be ridiculously easy to lose him there. The penguins stayed together because Skipper was especially paranoid in this crowd, and wanted to be prepared for an attack at any time. Isobel and Julien tried not to get too far from the penguins, but something new caught their, mostly Julien's, attention every few seconds.

Isobel smiled up at Julien, and they ran off again in search of something tall to stand on to look down on the parade.

Private had picked up six shiny necklaces, and brought them back to his team and Mort and Maurice. Mort was thrilled with his orange one, and Maurice was cool with getting a purple one.

Private handed Rico a red one, Kowalski a blue one, and Skipper a pink one.

"Really, Private?" Skipper raised an eyebrow at the necklace.

Private shrugged. "Well I'll trade you."

He gave Skipper a dark green one and he took the pink one. But Skipper shook his head and handed it back to Private.

"No obstruction should we be ambushed." Skipper said seriously. "You wear both."

"Nothing bad will happen to us, Skippa!" Private laughed a little. "You've got to loosen up. We're just here for a festival. I'm sure no bad guys would be after us here."

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Benedito sat on the wing of his plane, swinging his feet and impatiently checking his watch. He was already a little on edge from his boss calling him, and he never like having to meet up with his henchmen.

Soon enough, a gang of six short-tailed opossums crept out of the jungle and towards the plane. They all had dark, menacing eyes and stooped over a little when they walked upright, giving them a sinister look.

Benedito swallowed. " _Olá._ "

The lead opossum smiled toothily at the mongoose. "Ah, Bene, _nossa_! So, the _chefe_ called us. And he called you, I am guessing?"

The mongoose nodded. "Yes, Rafael."

Rafael was still smiling with his crooked teeth, and his whiskers twitched. "Where are our friends then?"

"They went to Carnaval of course." Benedito replied, trying not to look nervous. "I am sure they are sticking to the sidewalks."

"Good." Rafael said, cracking his fingers. "And you told them not to wander, of course?"

"Well," Benedito nervously adjusted his tie, "I-I told them to come back to the plane by sunrise and not a minute later."

Rafael hissed a little, pulling a knife from his belt and flashing it intimidatingly at Benedito. "This is why _chefe_ wanted us here, he knew you couldn't handle even a few zoo animals! Luckily for you, we'll make sure they stay where they're supposed to. They will return by dawn, or else."

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Isobel and Julien, after stopping quite a lot along the way to pick up whatever the performers threw from the floats, finally found the perfect rooftop to watch the parade from. It was a typical Brazilian house with a flat roof, and best of all, no people were on it.

They laughed as they bumped into each other, their beaded necklaces getting tangled up. Isobel untangled them, and they went to sit down.

"So, are you happy that I brought us here?" Julien asked.

Isobel nodded, the lights reflecting in her eyes. "Yes. It's beautiful and alive here."

"Not to mention this music, am I right?" Julien tapped his fingers to the beat of the drums.

Suddenly, they heard someone coming up on the roof, and they turned their heads, frozen.

However, it was only Maurice, and his face lit up when he saw them.

"There you guys are!" Maurice said. "I was just looking for you, Skipper wanted to do a roll call or whatever. We're hanging out on the street right below you guys, so I'll leave you alone now."

He went back down, and Julien and Isobel exhaled in relief.

"I'm a little on edge." Isobel admitted.

Isobel shook her head. "I'm not sure. It is probably just nerves."

Julien nodded in understanding, also feeling nervous, but probably for different reasons.

They looked at each for a moment, and were about to kiss, but were interrupted when a loud firework went off above them. They instantly looked to the sky to see it explode into red bursts and showers of silver. They sat a little closer together as they watched more rounds of fireworks. Since it was Valentine's Day (but not for long as it was quickly approaching midnight), the people setting off the fireworks were using ones that would produce special shapes, all in silver, pink, red, and gold. There were many fireworks that exploded into heart-shaped rings and even some cupids. Some were merely meant to look romantic, like the bright bursts of red and soft pink, followed by shimmering flecks that almost seemed to rain down.

Julien looked at Isobel. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Isobel smiled at him. "Happy Valentine's Day." She looked back at the display.

But Julien did not look away, and he took Isobel's paw. "Isobel?"

Isobel turned back to him, still smiling and green eyes bright.

Julien swallowed, trying to ignore his rapid heartbeat. "Isobel, marry me."

A golden firework burst and lit up Isobel's features, and it was clear she was no longer smiling.

"What?" She asked very quietly, her tone unreadable.

"I…" Julien knew this wasn't good. "I love you. Won't you?"

Isobel moved her paw away from Julien's, and stood up. But she didn't look away from him. She did not look angry, but she also seemed a little sad.

"Julien…" She was hardly speaking louder than before. "No."

Julien felt his heart rip open, and strangely a sharp sting in his back, but before he could feel anything else, he blacked out, and so did Isobel.

 **Ah, how I love a cliffhanger. *evil laughter* What did you think? And what will happen next? Goodbye for now, and please review!**


	13. Laroche

Chapter 13: Laroche

"Thanks, Rico." Private said gleefully.

He had been taking pictures of their film camera of the fireworks and the people, and he handed the camera back to Rico for him to swallow.

"So, what now?" Maurice asked.

"What do you mean, everything is happening right here." Kowalski said.

"Yeah, but we have until sunrise, and it's just past midnight." Maurice reminded him. "Why don't we explore? This might be our only chance, you know?"

"The primate is right." Skipper agreed. "I don't see any harm in a little patrol. Might actually do these citizens some good."

Maurice nodded. "Cool, I'll go get Julien and Isobel."

The aye-aye happily climbed the makeshift ladder to the roof, but he when peeked his head over, he saw neither Julien nor Isobel.

"Uhh, guys?" He called down to the rest of the group. "We have a problem here."

The penguins and Mort came up onto the roof. Skipper instantly began surveying.

"Kowalski, options."

Kowalski opened up his notebook. "Well, first possibility is that they simply left and are somewhere nearby. Second possibility…Time travel."

Skipper rolled his eyes. "Rico."

Since Rico was closest to Kowalski, he got to slap him on the back of the head.

"Ow." Kowalski rubbed his head. "Okay, so maybe that's not a reasonable assumption. But it's only because I am trying to avoid saying what really happened."

Skipper raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Kowalski took a breath. "Drugged with blow darts, and kidnapped."

Everyone except for Skipper gasped. He could feel his throat closing up a little bit, but he cleared it. "Why so specific?"

"The remnants of the darts are here." Kowalski poked one with his webbed foot, and the others looked closely. "I am guessing they were tainted with very microscopic, non-lethal doses of the secretions from poisonous dart frogs. Merely used as a temporary sleeping and paralysis agent."

"So they're alive, right?" Maurice asked worriedly.

Kowalski nodded. "I am sure of that. The biggest problem we face now: where are they?"

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Isobel began to stir, and groggily opened her eyes. For a few seconds, everything was bleary. But after she woke up completely, she realized she was tied up with ropes. She looked down and saw ropes across her chest and stomach, and frantically moved her wrists, which were also bound. But as she struggled, she realized she was tied to someone, and not something.

"Julien?" She whispered.

She could feel him breathing, as they were tied back to back, but he wasn't awake yet.

She tried to calm herself, and she looked around them, searching for any clues that could let her know where they were. She saw that the walls were all pearly grey, and there were spotlights on…squares of fabric? That couldn't be right. Isobel figured there were things behind the cloths. She knew that they were sitting on some type of thinly cushioned, rectangular seat. She looked up at the ceiling, where there were more lights, but they were switched off. She looked back at the squares of fabric, and realized that they were in an art gallery or museum of some sort. As she was wondering why that would be, she heard soft footsteps coming down the hall.

She could see a figure as it passed under the spotlights.

"Hello, dahlings." A lofty female voice said.

Isobel said nothing in return, but stirred a little, hoping to wake Julien up.

The figure revealed herself, and Isobel raised her eyebrows in surprise at their kidnapper.

The woman was an English Spot rabbit, but, much like Benedito the Egyptian mongoose, did not have an accent that matched where her name suggested she would be from. She was slim and sleek, with a white coat and of course the signature black spots along her sides and the black muzzle. Around her neck was an exquisite diamond chain from which an enormous blue diamond dangled.

"Don't you love it?" The English Spot smiled, holding up the pendant a little. "It's the Heart of the Ocean. It was on the Titanic, dahling. I took it form a display case on a museum tour in England. This necklace is what started it all…" She had a faraway look on her face for a moment, and then came back. "So sorry. I am Laroche. Of course, this is not my real name, dahling, I am not French!" She laughed a little unsteadily. "No, it means 'the rock', after this beautiful necklace. I am an art and jewelry thief extraordinaire! So who are you, dahling?"

Isobel narrowed her eyes at the rabbit. "You kidnapped me, I thought you would already know."

Laroche chuckled, almost darkly. "Oh no, dear, I don't. But you and your friend looked like a rather wealthy pair, I thought you would be good for this."

"How would you know?" Isobel retorted.

Laroche smirked. "I could power the palace of Versailles with how much solar energy your earrings reflect. And, really, he is wearing a crown."

Isobel couldn't argue with that. "What exactly are we good for?"

Now Laroche looked a little intrigued. "Collection pieces."

She saw Isobel's confused look, and went on. "I collect valuables, as you can see. I have quite a large hoard in my lair; I am practically a dragon! But yes, you two will come with me to my home in remote Switzerland. You will be living art in my newest exhibition. You and your friend are very aesthetically pleasing and you come with additional art in the form of accessories."

Isobel swallowed, and she finally felt Julien awakening.

"I am up!" He jolted awake. "I know the answer…Wait, where am I?"

He panicked for a moment, and then Isobel spoke to him.

"We've been kidnapped." She spoke quietly. "Say nothing to her."

Julien was about to say something, but everything that happened before he blacked out came back to him, and he felt the dull pain in his chest all over again. "No problem." He said, completely lackluster.

Isobel sighed, feeling his pain and her own regret. But she said nothing.

"And what accents!" Laroche clapped. "Yes, excellent pieces indeed. Would you like to see the art you will be displayed with? I figured I couldn't leave Rio de Janeiro with just attractive people. Some paintings must come as well."

Isobel was not even looking at Laroche, but she pulled the sheet from the large painting on the wall across from her.

Isobel glanced over, and saw that the painting was the _Venus de Milo._

"It's the original. This is _art for gods._ " Laroche said quietly. Her nose twitched, and she looked back at Isobel. "I won't keep you waiting too long. I must go pack the rest of the valuables. Don't go anywhere! Ha!"

Laroche quickly scampered away to the other rooms.

After a moment, Isobel spoke. "Julien?"

"Yes?" Julien said softly and almost monotone.

"I'm sorry." Isobel said quietly. "I did not mean to cause you pain."

Julien shrugged. "It was totally dumb of me to ask you that. What could I have possibly been thinking, you saying yes?"

"Do not think that it is because of you." Isobel said quickly.

Julien looked up and his ears lifted a little. "You are not saying no?"

"Yes." Isobel sighed. "I am saying no. I am not ready to be married yet. There are so many things I would love to do first."

"Let me do them with you." Julien cut in, but not brusquely.

Isobel laughed lightly, but not to be mean. She felt tears prickling the backs of her eyes, but she pushed them away. "Things to do before I am ready to be married. I hope you understand."

Julien sat up a little, only worried about one thing. "So you are not saying no…to being my queen one day?"

Isobel was quiet for a moment, but she shook her head, and just as quietly as before, said, "No."

Julien was elated, but then thought for a moment. "Wait, wait, no like yes, or no like never?"

Isobel laughed again. "No like yes. Someday."

Julien smiled blissfully, and leaned back against Isobel. The empty pain in his chest was replaced with joyful fullness. "Okay. Alright, good. Someday. I can be waiting for that."

Before they could speak anymore, Laroche reentered the room, and began her clapping again. "Alright, dahlings, chop chop, we must begin to leave."

 **Alright, so I cleared up that cliffhanger I left you readers on last chapter! Thanks for reading & please review. **


	14. Off the Roof

Chapter 14: Off the Roof

"Have you picked up the scent yet, Rico?" Kowalski asked.

Rico got up from the ground and sniffed the air a few more times. "Yep! 'is way."

All of them followed the demolitions expert, and soon they were on some poorly lit streets, away from the parades.

While Rico continued to sniff along the ground and lead them around, Kowalski looked down at his GPS.

"I should really implant some type of tracking device in one of Isobel's earrings." He mused aloud.

Skipper heard him and nodded. "That's not a half bad idea. Could save us a lot of time next time this happens."

He went quiet, as did the rest of the group. Of course they were all hoping this _wouldn't_ happen again, but it had already occurred twice. They couldn't be too careful.

Rico suddenly stood up, and pointed with his flipper to the very end of the street. "'Ere."

Skipper and Kowalski looked at the tall, grey building.

"Rico, night vision." Skipper held out his flipper and Rico coughed up the binoculars.

Skipper focused in on the lettering on the building.

"Fascinating." Skipper said quietly. "Yep, I can't read Portuguese."

"Let me see." Kowalski took the binoculars. "I am absolutely sure that word right there says 'museum'. Well, it may be difficult to sneak up on Julien and Isobel's captors."

"Nonsense." Skipper shook his head. "We'll drop down through one of the sky lights and find where they're being held."

"Judging by the size of the museum, that could take hours." Kowalski said realistically.

Skipper put his flippers on his hips. "Well we aren't here to enjoy the art, Walski. We'll split up. Ear pieces in, everyone."

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Laroche rested her chin on her paw. "I suppose you two cannot walk tied up like this."

She had told Isobel and Julien to get up and follow her, but Isobel pointed out that they were incapable of doing so.

Laroche frowned. "But I cannot risk you two knocking me unconscious, and worse, running away."

Isobel had to think fast. "We are nobles. We do not know how to defend ourselves."

Julien frowned a little and whispered to Isobel. "Hey, I do how to-"

She elbowed him in the back without looking away from Laroche, and he shut up, understanding that Isobel was trying to con Laroche.

Laroche looked as though she would fall for this, but then she said, "I do not believe you. Maybe for him, but you, dahling, have a toned body like a warrior. A goddess even, an Amazon!"

Laroche was swept away with visions of art again, and Julien whispered to Isobel again, "Well she's not wrong."

Isobel rolled her eyes and whispered back, "Now is not the time."

Laroche circled back from her daydreams and straightened up. "So I have decided that I will untie him, but you will stay tied up, okay, dear?"

Isobel sighed. "Fair enough."

She did not feel so nearly as afraid as she had been when Clopar kidnapped her. She had been surrounded by pirates and was sure the penguins would not find her. Not to mention Clopar was truly an evil monster. Laroche, on the other hand, was more of a diva. Smart, but still a diva. And Isobel was not alone this time; she had Julien with her.

Laroche began to undo the ropes. Of course, to untie Julien, she would have to loosen some of Isobel's bindings as well.

Isobel tensed up. Now was her chance.

When Laroche was stooped over unbinding Julien's wrists, Isobel ripped her right hand from the ropes and pressed hard onto the soft spot directly behind Laroche's shoulder. In an instant, Laroche slumped down, passed out.

"How did you do that?" Julien turned around, finally freed. He rubbed his wrists.

"Pressure point." Isobel finished untying herself and stood up. "They're apart of Atlantean self-defense. Now we don't have much time, we should –"

She froze and her gaze was locked behind Julien. He looked behind himself and stepped over the bench to stand in front of Isobel.

There was a pack of six opossums glaring at them. The one in front, presumably the leader, was grinning toothily.

"Hello, friends." He said. "Going somewhere?"

Before Julien or Isobel could respond, the lead opossum spoke again.

"I almost forgot introductions; my name is Rafael." He bowed mockingly, his hunched back making it look more ridiculous. "I do not need to know your names. But, you need to know that you were not supposed to wander from Carnaval. I have no choice but to take you to my _chefe_ now."

"We did not wander." Isobel stepped to the side so Rafael could see her. "We were drugged and captured, by her."

She pointed to the bench, where Laroche was still knocked out.

Rafael looked at the rabbit, and stepped forward, squinting.

"Laroche?" He asked.

Laroche began to stir, and lifted her head sleepily. "Rafael?"

She then jumped up. "Rafael! Uh, good evening! You weren't supposed to-"

"Find out that you are stealing again?" Rafael hissed. " _Chefe_ gave you another chance by letting you be Benedito's stewardess! And you lied and said you were on _business_?"

Laroche suddenly looked serene, and reached up to feel her necklace. "Thievery is my business."

Rafael growled and advanced towards Laroche. Isobel and Julien took this as an opportunity to run, but Rafael was quick.

"Do not let them escape!" He ordered his men.

The other opossums ran to block the exit, and Isobel and Julien found themselves trapped. The opossum gang started to close in on them.

"Not so fast."

Isobel and Julien were relieved to hear that familiar voice, and the opossums turned to the doorway.

There Skipper was, a triumphant smirk on his face. He was in a fighting stance, flippers poised.

He reached up to click on his earpiece. "Found them."

Within moments, the other penguins came rushing to his side, also readying themselves in fighting stances.

The opossums turned around fully now, all hissing.

Skipper only wiggled the end of his right flipper at them. "Let's dance."

The four penguins and the five marsupials engaged in hand-to-hand combat, leaving Julien and Isobel with more than enough opportunity to escape.

"Get onto the roof!" Skipper yelled at them. "We'll meet you there."

Julien grabbed Isobel's hand to run, but Isobel looked back. She saw Rafael standing over Laroche, his paws wrapped around her throat as she desperately tried to claw at his arms.

Isobel stopped immediately, and Julien looked back at her questioningly.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "Don't worry about her, she is a freak who wanted to kidnap us!"

"But she didn't hurt us." Isobel said as she pulled away from Julien.

She raced towards Rafael, who was too busy trying to kill Laroche to notice her in time. She shoved him hard, and they both toppled over onto the ground.

Laroche sat up, choking for air as the pressure was removed from her windpipe.

Rafael snarled at Isobel, and she snarled back. She saw him reach for the knife on his belt, but she launched herself onto him, grabbing his wrist and forcing the blade towards him. Her intent was not to kill him, and she quickly twisted the knife so as to slice his arm.

He yelled out in pain, and Isobel dropped his wrist and jumped up. She saw Laroche escaping from a window, and decided to let her go. It seemed Laroche had a high price on her head now, so Isobel was not too worried about her meeting justice eventually.

She looked back to where the penguins were still grappling with the other opossums. It was obvious that they were winning, and so she ran back to the exit, where Julien was waiting. They ran through the halls, and eventually met up with Maurice and Mort, who led them up to the roof.

"How will we get out of here?" Julien asked, pacing the roof.

"The penguins said they'd have a plan when they come up here." Maurice assured him. "They usually have pretty good escape plans."

It was then that Skipper and the others ran onto the roof.

"Get off the roof, get off the roof!" He yelled.

The lemurs looked off the side of the building, and saw a mattress in a dumpster below. They took a chance and leapt, the penguins following suit.

They all landed with a dull thud, and the penguins hurriedly began pulling the lemurs out, shouting that they needed to get behind something.

"What did you do?" Isobel asked worriedly.

"You'll see!" Private said exasperatedly.

They all ducked behind a building across the street.

Suddenly, the museum folded in on itself like a soufflé, and plumes of dust and grit swept across the street. Of course, there was the loud explosion.

"Kaboom kaboom!" Rico exclaimed happily.

He had rigged the structure's base with explosives, trapping the opossum gang inside.

After the dust cleared, they all stepped out from behind the building, and Private sighed.

"All the art…Gone."

"Don't worry too much, young Private, they'll get insurance money." Skipper clapped him on the back. "Now, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say our vacation in Rio has come to an end."


	15. Stacks

Chapter 15: Stacks

The group raced back to the jungle, taking final glimpses of the spectacular festival in the streets.

"Goodbye, Rio!" Private called out.

"No time for sentimentality, Private!" Skipper yelled back at him.

They picked up the pace, just in case any of the opossums survived the blast. It was about four in the morning now, and they figured Benedito would not be mad at them for coming back early.

Once they were in the jungle, Skipper requested a headlamp from Rico. He switched it on, and led the way.

Isobel carried Mort so as to give Maurice a break. Mort was very tired and completely oblivious to the danger they were in.

"Where did the party go?" He asked.

"It's over, Mort." Isobel said as she side stepped between two boulders. "We have to go home now."

Mort nodded sleepily. "That's okay. King Julien's parties are better anyway."

Although they were rushing, the journey through the jungle was slow going. They didn't want to risk losing anyone or getting injured when no one was following them.

Soon, they reached the little plane. The penguins made their 'ladder' and Skipper tapped on the windshield, waking Benedito.

"We're ready for departure now."

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Benedito found it a little strange that they wanted to leave early, but he was happy that they had not gotten into trouble, and neither would he. He was rather fond of the group, as it was a change of pace from his employer's usual clientele, who were often criminals.

Everyone was able to relax once they were well into the air. It took them a moment to absorb all that had happened, and then Private stood up to go see Isobel.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.

Isobel nodded. "I was not afraid this time. I knew you would find us."

Private smiled slightly. "Okay. If you'd like to talk, I'll listen."

"I know." Isobel smiled back. Private was one of her favorite people to talk to.

"So who was that dame?" Skipper asked Isobel.

"Her name was Laroche." Isobel looked back at him. "An 'art thief extraordinaire'. She wanted to take Julien and I to Switzerland to be living art pieces."

The penguins made faces at that, and Julien said, "I know, that is totally creepy."

While everyone discussed how weird that was, Isobel sighed and rubbed her ring. She had placed it back on her left middle finger after the fight with Bada.

She glanced over at Julien, who was in a discussion with Maurice and Skipper. She thought back to what he had asked. But marriage was not at the top of her list at the moment, and so she did not regret her decision. For now, she was happy with how things were.

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They returned to New York at about 3 PM, tired but relieved to be back. Benedito landed, and politely told them to leave as quickly as possible because he had a tight schedule. They bid their thanks and goodbyes to him, and watched as he flew away.

"Well." Private piped up. "That was an adventure."

"To say the least, Private." Skipper agreed.

"How are we going to keep Bada and Bing off our backs though?" Julien mused out loud.

Maurice smiled and showed Julien their bag, which now looked quite a bit heavier than it had before.

Julien gasped. "Maurice! You sneaky monkey, how did you get this?"

Their bag had been filled with loose Brazilian Real banknotes. There were fives, tens, and even some fifties.

"People were just throwing them from their floats!" Maurice said excitedly. "There was a politician who came by on one; that's where I got the fifties from. Look, I know there's an exchange rate, but this has got to be enough."

The penguins decided to let the lemurs deal with their debts on their own, and they went back to their HQ to sleep off the jet lag.

When the lemurs returned to their habitat, Mikhailov was there to greet them. He had done a remarkably good job hiding from Alice.

"Good, you bring back Lady Aysobel in one piece." He noted.

While he and Isobel talked about the trip, and Mort took a nap, Julien and Maurice emptied out the bag to count the Real. They made short stacks of each kind of banknote to keep them in order.

When they were done, they were both smiling, knowing their debt was going to be repaid. They filled the bag up with the Real, and made their way over to the gorilla habitat.

Bada and Bing saw them coming and instantly stood up, vicious smiles on their faces.

"So I hope Brazil was good to ya's." Bada said to Julien. "It's the last time you'll go anywhere. Ever. _Capiche_?"

Bing laughed, but Julien only looked at them smugly. He nonchalantly unzipped their bag and pulled out a stack of Real. He walked up to the pair of gorillas, and began to flick one banknote at a time at each of them. The banknotes harmlessly smacked them in the nose, but it still irritated them.

"Two. Thousand. Dollars." Julien punctuated each word with a flick of a banknote.

"Brazilian Real." Maurice mentioned. "But yeah, it should still be enough."

"Money's money." Julien threw up the rest of the money and it all showered back on them. "So take that! Now you cannot be bothering us anymore."

It was true, that was enough money, but Bada and Bing were mad that they didn't get to beat anyone up, and they growled.

"We should go before we lose our chance." Maurice whispered.

Julien had been enjoying this, but he agreed with his advisor. "Yes, I am thinking that is a good idea."

They quickly dumped out the rest of the cash and left.

"Were you seeing their faces, Maurice?" Julien laughed once they were out of earshot. "They were so mad! That was so much thrilling fun. We should do this more often."

"What? No!" Maurice shook his head at him. "We should not. We almost got our butts kicked. No thank you."

 **Slightly shorter chapter, but I should have another out soon. Thanks for reading and please review!**


	16. AG8

Chapter 16: AG8

Three weeks passed by, and it was now almost the middle of March. It was time for the penguins to load their things onto the _Conquistadora._ They 'borrowed' some equipment from the staff room to help them transport all of it to Atlantis.

"Be careful!" Kowalski said to Rico as he stacked boxes of lab equipment.

Rico was not exactly being careful as he helped stack boxes, and they heard that anxiety-inducing _crunch_ of glass in its package.

"Oops, eheh." Rico looked apologetically at Kowalski.

Skipper was in charge of boxing up important files that they still needed (or ones that no one else could ever see), and shredding the ones that they no longer required.

Private was organizing their 'sentimental' boxes. Those were boxes that would actually be going on the Charley with them, but he still thought it wouldn't hurt to start packing them. They were filled with special, personal things that each penguin did not want to leave behind.

They had to load their things onto Jack's ship that day because Jack was leaving. It would take him nearly three weeks to arrive in Madagascar, compared to the penguins' one day.

On the way across the zoo to the park, they stopped by the lemur habitat to get Isobel. Atlantis had always been kind to them, but she was still their key.

They made it to the harbor, and could already see that the crew of the _Conquistadora_ were all in a rush. Jack had probably had a going away party the previous day and all of them had overslept.

They could already hear Jack shouting at someone. Isobel climbed one of the mooring lines and jumped onto the deck.

"What made you even _think_ that the gunpowder would go anywhere near the galley?" Jack glared down at a cabin boy. "Where _fires_ are? Now go and fix it, ya ninny!"

The cabin boy scurried off and Jack turned around to see his sister.

"Isobel!" He smiled bleakly. He probably had a headache. "Here to see me off?"

Isobel nodded, smiling back. "The penguins are here as well with their crates."

"Perfect." Jack went to fetch some sailors to help the penguins load everything up.

"Are you prepared for the journey?" Isobel asked him once he came back.

"As prepared as we can be." Jack said. "We have supplies for almost a year, but we only have two months of rations. I gathered that we can be resupplied with food in Madagascar?"

"Of course." Isobel looked around the ship. "So will you tell the penguins today?"

Jack sighed. "Yes. I'll invite them to my stateroom."

They were of course referring to Jack being a pirate. It was only fair that he let the penguins know. Jack had been forced into piracy, but it was a mark he had to bear now.

The penguins came back up from the hull, and Jack waved them into his stateroom.

Isobel followed along, and listened to her brother's no nonsense speech.

"I won't be running off with your supplies," he promised after telling of how he became a pirate, "But I just wanted you to know about the possibility of my ship being boarded. We won't fly our forbidden colours across the Atlantis, but pirate lords still know of me and the _Conquistadora._ "

"Why don't you change the name of your ship?" Private suggested.

A languid smile crossed Jack's lips. "They will still know. Besides, I've grown fond of her."

The others nodded in understanding, but Skipper had been silent.

Finally, he stood up. "I trust you, for some reason. But no slip ups."

Jack straightened up, hands behind his back. "No, sir."

Isobel smiled at him for his honesty, and he smiled back, the ostrich feather on his hat dangling behind his shoulder.

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The penguins and Isobel bid the _Conquistadora_ a farewell. Jack stood proudly at the helm, as though he could bring the horizon forward with his gaze.

They headed back to the zoo, ready to make their final preparations.

The penguins parted ways with Isobel and waddled to their HQ. Once they were inside, the all gathered around their table.

"So this is it, men." Skipper started the discussion. "After Kowalski hacks into the computer system, there's no going back."

"I'm ready, Skippah." Private spoke up.

Rico said that he was too, in gibberish of course.

Skipper gave a short nod of approval, and looked over at Kowalski. "Who are our new replacements?"

Kowalski opened up a new folder and spread out the papers within it. "For the lemurs, I have four ringtails coming in. They are all females. Now remember, we don't need exact replicas because Alice thinks we're being assigned to a different zoo, and that this zoo is simply receiving replacement animals. Anyways, as for our replacements…I'm having the penguin exhibit closed."

Everyone gasped.

"But why?" Private asked. "Not to brag, but we are kind of the main attraction."

"I asked him to." Skipper interjected. "Can't have any new penguins attempt to create a new elite force. We are the only ones."

Kowalski closed the folder and nodded. "That's why."

Private sat back a little. "I guess that makes sense." He was starting to already miss New York, and Skipper noticed this.

"Chin up, Private." He encouraged him. "There's a new world out there."

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The next day, Skipper woke up before the sun. He let the others sleep in, as they had been working hard and deserved it.

He noticed they had not checked their mail in a while as it was completely full.

He carried the pile to the table and sorted through it. There were tons of ads, but when he reached the bottom of the pile, he found a manila envelope with the word CONFIDENTIAL stamped across it. He raised an eyebrow. He wondered if it could be from home base, but they had already alerted their superiors as to where they would be relocating to.

He opened it up, and a single sheet of paper fell out. Skipper picked it up. He had let Kowalski teach him some reading and writing, and he was able to read the short sentences:

"Mailbox on Main Street. Today. Ten A.M. Skipper only."

Instantly, Skipper had a creeping feeling. Whoever had sent this letter wanted to see him by himself. But his curiosity got the best of him, and he decided to just go when the time came.

At 950, after the rest of his team had woken up, he made up an excuse and headed for Main Street.

He was stealthy and was not seen by any of the passing people, but when he arrived at the mail box, he saw no one there.

"Did I just get ding-dong-ditched through the mail?" He asked himself irritably.

Just as the words left his beak, someone reached out of the mailbox and pulled him in.

Skipper went into instant attack mode.

"Agent Skipper, please!" A stern but not villainous voice said in the dark.

"Show yourself." Skipper demanded.

Whoever pulled him into the mailbox turned on a flashlight and revealed himself.

It was a mink whose soft brown fur shone against the harsh light. His eyes were focused on Skipper.

"Are you calm now, sir?" The mink asked, clearly calm himself.

Skipper raised an eyebrow. "Depends. Who are you?"

The mink stuck out his paw. "Agent Alistair, of the AG8. Surely you've heard of us?"

Skipper did not shake his paw. "No. You'd better start explaining."

Alistair did not even blink at Skipper's brusqueness, and cleared his throat. "The Animal Group of Eight. We are very similar to the G8 in the human's world. They are comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the European Union, and the United States. I am the assistant of the representative for America. For the AG8, of course. We handle financing and the like in the AG8. Who gets funding for what and such. And where we get those funds. We heard you're going to Africa in a couple of weeks, yes?"

Skipper eyed him suspiciously. "The only way you could know that is if you were a spy, or worse, a Space Squid."

Alistair chuckled. "You're exactly as your superiors described you."

Now Skipper's eyes widened. "They told you?"

Alistair nodded. "Yes. Look, Skipper, your home base is abandoning you."

Skipper's expression changed slightly to sadness. Home base was not pleased with their relocating, and cut them off.

Alistair continued. "But they'd still like you to be funded. You are truly an elite team. The world cannot lose you now."

Skipper did not let this stranger flatter him. "How do you plan on funding us? We don't have anything to give you."

"All you have to complete is one simple mission." Alistair said softly. "One mission, and your team and other missions will be fully funded until the last member dies."

Skipper swallowed, thinking it over. Funding for a lifetime? They would surely need that for resupplying. They could possibly visit America again if they had that kind of money.

"So what's the mission?"

Alistair smiled, and opened the laptop he had with him. "Talamaru, right?"

Skipper nodded slowly.

"They have something that the AG8 would be grateful to have in their treasury." Alistair turned the computer screen to show Skipper. "The Heart of the Earth."

Skipper looked at a sketch of what appeared to be a large, blood-red ruby. It looked perfect, and about the size of a bird's egg.

"I'm not a geologist, Alistair, but I know nothing like that could exist." Skipper folded his flippers. "You'd be sending me on a wild goose chase."

Alistair smiled again, and shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. We knew of a group about fifteen years ago who saw it, detailed accounts and everything. Anyways, the natives used to use it in ceremonies, but stopped. Culture shift or something. It has no value to them anymore. Find it for us, and you will be rewarded."

"I'm not stealing from them." Skipper said sternly.

"It won't be stealing." Alistair explained. "It's lost in the jungle, in fact, as it was thrown away, cast off. You would in essence, be digging up their trash. It will not be missed."

Skipper weighed the options in his head. He had never heard Isobel speak about the Heart of the Earth. Perhaps it did not mean anything to the Ta'li anymore, while it meant a secure future for him and his team.  
"I accept the mission."


	17. The Last Day

Chapter 17: The Last Day

Skipper went back to the zoo feeling indifferent. Of course, he did not fully trust Alistair. But he did not doubt for a moment that it truly was home base who had sent him. He wondered if he should tell Isobel, but figured that since it had been cast away around the same time she left, she wouldn't know anything about it. He decided to only tell his team for now.

"The Heart of the Earth?" Kowalski crinkled his brow after Skipper told them. "I've never heard of such a thing. Then again, I'm not a geologist."

Skipper gave a short nod. "It's classified information. We're the only ones outside of Talamaru and the AG8 who know."

"I have heard of the AG8." Kowalski said. "So I don't doubt the legitimacy of the mission. It just seems that…If this was so valuable, why wouldn't they go and get it themselves?"

Skipper shrugged. "The Ta'li probably wouldn't like a bunch of government agents traipsing around their territory. We'll be inside men."

Private looked skeptical. "That sounds really fishy, Skippa."

Rico nodded, but then started thinking of all kinds of fish, which got him hungry.

Skipper sighed. "It's not, Private. Financial support for a lifetime in exchange for something they threw away? That doesn't sound so bad to me."

"Did Alistair give you anything to take?" Kowalski asked.

"Yeah, he gave me this." Skipper showed them what looked like a small disc with a red button on it. The button was covered by a plastic dome to prevent accidently setting off. "He said that once we find it, just press this button, and they'll meet us outside of Tali."

Kowalski had a creeping feeling, but if Skipper wasn't acting paranoid about it, it should be alright.

"I'm doing this for the team." Skipper went on. "Alistair said that even if I die at any time, the three of you will still get money. It's peace of mind."

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Two weeks went by, and it was the day of their departure. They had done an excellent job of keeping it under wraps, as the other zoo animals and staff had no idea. Still, they would not leave until the middle of the night so as not to be seen.

Isobel and Mikhailov had been in the park since before sunrise as they were trying to fit in as much exercise as they could before being cooped up in the Charley.

Maurice was packing all of their things up while Mort ran around in circles, blowing bubbles with a bubble wand and a bottle of soap.

Spring was here, and everyone was enjoying the lack of snow and extra sunlight.

Julien had gone over to the penguins to learn about the final details, like what time they should meet the penguins that night.

"00:00 hours." Kowalski told him simply. He was very busy making graphs and charts, mostly out of nervousness.

"Eh, yeah, I am not so good with this 'hundred hours' time thingy." Julien shook his head. "So when is that?"

"It's midnight." Skipper came up from their warehouse, wiping grease off of his flippers. He had been tuning up their helicopter.

Suddenly, a cheerful tune could be heard outside, and Private and Rico instantly sat up.

"They're selling Sno-Cones!" Privates said excitedly. "Can we go get some, Skippa?"

Skipper nodded. "Sure. Take Kowalski with you, he's going to give himself an aneurysm."

Rico dragged Kowalski out as the three left to get some shaved ice.

This left Julien and Skipper alone in the HQ, and Julien sat at their table, and sighed.

"What's up, Ringtail?" Skipper asked as he washed his flippers. He figured Julien would probably go into some kind of sentimental tirade like Private, but he'd rather him get it all out now before he was stuck in a helicopter with him for almost two days.

"When we were at the fantastical party in Rio, I asked Isobel to marry me and be my queen." Julien said, sounding melancholy.

It stung Skipper, but he cleared his throat and pushed that away. "So what did she say?"

"She said no." Julien said, and Skipper was mad at himself for feeling relieved. "At least for now. She said someday."

Skipper nodded. "Well that's good news, Ringtail. Someday is better than never."

"I guess." Julien seemed to feel his most dramatic around Skipper. "But we're going back to Africa. She'll be with her people, and what if there are like, totally hot guys there? She will be forgetting all about me!"

Skipper chuckled. He forgot that even this lemur could have insecurities. "I don't think she's like that. But, anyway, why aren't you talking to Maurice about this?"

Julien shrugged. "I thought you and me were becoming the friends. Friends talk about these things, yes?"

"I…Yes, they do." Skipper agreed. "I just think Maurice would be better at this."

"You're right." Julien got up from the table. "I will talk to him about this too. Thank you for listening, bossy penguin."

Julien left, and Skipper sighed. He could not have feelings for Isobel. It was against protocol, as getting her home was currently their mission, and he couldn't let feelings interfere with that. But also because he stood no chance. He decided that he liked their friendship, and was determined to keep it that way, forever.

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Isobel made her way across the zoo to the park; this would be the last time. She was feeling a little sentimental herself. This was the city she had learned about the outside world in. She had perfected her English, and she knew about all kinds of gadgets and music and modern machines now. And most importantly, this was this place she had made her friends. She was happy that they were leaving together, but now she had one last, very difficult thing to do.

She had to say good-bye to her father.

When she arrived in Atlantis, she did not rush through the City Square as she usually would have. Instead, she stopped at the merchants' stalls and carts, looking through their merchandise. Many of them recognized her, and offered things for free. But she declined, and used the last of her Atlantean coins to buy things like fruits and fabric. She wanted some ordinary keepsakes.

Her heart squeezed as she passed by Naomi's home. It would be too much for her to say good-bye, and she knew Naomi would understand.

She arrived at the throne room doors, like usual. The tallest guard, on the left, smiled down at her like he always did. He had been a favorite guard of the king for a long time, and had just been appointed as such when Isobel first arrived in Atlantis.

This time, Isobel returned his gaze.

"I'm leaving today, Nekeb." She said.

Nekeb's smile faded. "So soon, Princess?"

Isobel nodded. "Watch over my father for me. You have done so well protecting us all this time."

Nekeb's expression was stoic. "Of course, your majesty. Travel safe."

He opened the doors, and Isobel walked through, slowly. She looked up at the ceiling as the doors closed behind her. She had been through these doors thousands of times, but she did not want to miss one detail. She sauntered carefully across the stepping stones, looking into the water below. White and golden koi swam beneath her, and water lilies popped up to float along the surface.

She looked up the moment she was on solid ground again.

Her father was there, waiting for her. He was absentmindedly rubbing his chin, not really looking at anything. Isobel did not like to see him so melancholy, but this was what she had to do.

"Hello, father."

The king looked down at her, but he did not smile. He got up off his throne, and gestured for her to follow him. She did, and he led her to the royal gardens.

Isobel was in awe once they entered. Spring had just bloomed out in New York, but in here, it was pure paradise. It was far more beautiful than it had been in the dead of winter. Blossoms were everywhere, and seemed to overtake the green of the leaves. Butterflies and harmless bees floated about the enormous greenhouse.

The king went to sit on the bench that he and Isobel had sat at when he told her of her parents and royal heritage.

Isobel sat beside him. She folded her hands in her lap, crossing her ankles. She did not know why she reverted to the mannerisms she had been taught by ladies of the court when she arrived in Atlantis. Perhaps because although she had hated them all this time, she know realized this was the last time she would use them in this place.

Finally, the king spoke. "Look how your favorite tree has blossomed this year."

He was pointing to the ancient sakura tree, whose branches dipped down towards them. The rich pink blossoms truly were beautiful, and the king reached up to pick one.

He held in his old hands, looking down at the delicate petals. "I remember how you climbed this tree, and you frightened all of the maids. But they did not know how skilled you were at this, as you had been doing that just a few weeks before you came to us."

Isobel smiled a little at the memory. "I am going to miss you, _baba._ "

The king looked at his daughter. His eyes were slightly red and still watery. It was evident he had been crying. "I miss you already, daughter."

Isobel began to tear up, and she leaned over to embrace her father. He hugged her back, and they stayed this way for a few minutes.

Isobel did not know if they were coming back at all, and even if they did, she was not sure her old father would still be alive when they returned. But she could not think of that horrible thought, and pushed it away as she tried to enjoy her final memories with him.

When they stopped hugging, the king passed the sakura blossom to her. She held the soft flower in her paws while they talked. Of memories, of plans for the future, and of nothing in particular.

It was hours, and Isobel knew she needed to go. There was not very much preparing left to do, but she needed to rip herself away before she changed her mind.

She said her final, tearful good-byes to her father, and they parted ways. She went through the back way so as not to go through the City Square again. Once she was in the park, where the sun was setting on her last day in the place she had called home, she allowed herself to weep.

She would never return.

 **Ah, guys, I got sad writing the last parts, not gonna lie. Anyways, thank you for continuing to read and review.**


	18. Over the Horizon

Chapter 18: Over the Horizon

When Isobel came back to the lemur habitat, Julien could see that her eyes were slightly hooded. He knew she had been crying, but he already knew why, and so instead of asking, he simply gave her comfort.

He held out his arms, and at first Isobel looked unsteadily at him. She did not like showing her weaknesses, but she knew that she could simply be herself around Julien.

She went into his arms and they stayed like that for a few minutes. She did not cry, as she had done all of that in the park.

Julien stepped away and looked her in the eyes. "Are you happy to be going home?"

Isobel nodded. "Yes."

But that didn't sound very convincing, and Julien frowned. "We can stay here if you are wanting."

Isobel smiled a little. "No, I have made my decision. And besides, what about your own people?"

Julien shrugged. "I would rather only have you than all of my people."

Isobel searched his face, and Maurice ushered Mort away, knowing that the two needed to talk.

"Are you…" Julien looked back at Isobel when she spoke. "Are you worried that we won't see each other once we're there?"

"Yeah." Julien focused on her, as that was exactly what he was worried about. "I don't want you to forget about me."

Isobel couldn't help by smile. "You asked me to marry you. How could I forget that?"

Julien smiled a little too. "This is true. So, no forgetting, deal?"

He held out his paw, and Isobel looked at it.

"Deal." She said and they jokingly shook on it.

After that, they joined Maurice and Mort to enjoy the last hours they had in their habitat. They all laid in the grass and watched the vibrant orange and pink streaks in the sky fade to silver and then black. A cool breeze wafted over them and rustled the grass.

Isobel wondered where Mikhailov was. She figured he was probably busy hunting and surveying.

They patiently listened to Mort jabbering about this and that, and laughed at some stories that Maurice wanted to share about mishaps during his time at the zoo.

Isobel had one paw across her stomach, and the other laying in the grass. She felt something poke the one in the grass, and looked down. She saw that it was just Julien trying to the hold her paw, and she let him.

She didn't know how long they all laid there, just talking and then taking long pauses just to swim in their own thoughts. As much as she longed for adventure, she felt nothing but contented peace when she could just close her eyes and let her mind go into the stars. She loved it as much as sharing a good conversation, whether it be with five people or one.

But soon enough, she was pulled from her daydreaming, when Julien spoke.

"It's time to go."

She opened her eyes and saw the New York starlight once more. How dim they looked compared to the cosmos in her memories of Talamaru. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Private paced along the top of their ice floe. He was nervous and excited all at once, and he found the pacing about helped him.

Skipper had told him to go up at about 1150 and wait for the lemurs. The other three were already in the warehouse, prepping.

Private liked the breeze that made his feathers bristle. He loved coming outside on a peaceful night, and never minded when Skipper assigned him night-watch duty, so long as the weather was fair.

Soon enough, he spotted the lemurs on their way, with Maurice dragging a couple of carry-on bags. Mikhailov was with them too.

They reached the ice floe, and Private smiled.

"Are you ready?"

They all acknowledged that they were, and Private led them down to the warehouse.

Mikhailov had formed down into a falcon, and he knew he wouldn't be able to become a Firebird until they reached Tali, for space reasons.

Once they were in the warehouse, Private led them to the Charley. The lights in the warehouse were off, but the lights inside of the Charley were on, so it wasn't completely dark.

"Eet is huge." Mikhailov remarked as they all stepped inside. "You see, Skeepur, I do not know vhat you are talking about, I could stay Virebird the whole vay."

Skipper looked back at Mikhailov from his pilot's chair as he adjusted his headset. "No way, you are staying a flacon the whole way. And I swear if you so much as even stretch those five foot wings of yours out and spill a drop of my coffee, you're staying taped to the windshield the rest of the flight."

Mikhailov chuckled and turned away to find a spot to nestle down. "Silly pengvin, thinks he can tell me vhat to do…"

Skipper rolled his eyes. He and Mikhailov had never really gotten along, as they were both insanely stubborn, and considering that was their only similarity, it just didn't work.

Isobel looked around the helicopter. It was well equipped and appeared to have some of the latest technology.

"Villains _don't_ always have the good stuff." Kowalski had said, rather smugly.

Maurice set their bags down on a rather cozy looking bench tucked away in the corner. He figured that's where they would be able to sleep.

Kowalski was up front in the co-pilot chair, checking gears and flipping switches.

Private sat on the bench on the opposite side of the helicopter, across from the lemurs.

Rico was actually not a middle of the night person, and he was already snoring away. He had been working all day on carefully disassembling bombs to take with them, and wrapping up dynamite and such with great care. As much as he liked explosions, he didn't exactly want to be in one.

Skipper swiveled around. "Isobel, come up here."

Isobel approached the pilot chairs to see what Skipper wanted.

"Kowalski is going to be busy co-piloting and making sure this hunk of junk doesn't disintegrate midair," he said with a slight smile, "So I'm going to need a navigator."

"Of course." Isobel agreed. She looked up at Kowalski's chair, and he moved over so she could have room.

He gave her the maps that they had, but for the time being, she did not need them.

"Alright, Private, checklist time." Skipper called back.

"What? Oh!" Private jumped up, as he had been dozing. "Right, all passengers accounted for, Skipper. I'm closing the doors now."

Skipper took a deep breath, tapping his flippers on the joystick. "Engines on."

His heartrate went up as he flipped on the switch.

"Cabin lights, off." Kowalski turned off the lights, and for a few moments, they sat in darkness, only hearing the sound of the engine roaring. "Headlights, on."

They saw the near empty warehouse light up.

Maurice suddenly realized something. "How the heck are we going to get out of here?"

His question was answered when the ceiling unfolded, all the way up into HQ. The ice floe popped open, giving them straight access to outside.

They went straight up, which was a bit of an unnerving process, as a propeller touching a wall could be disastrous. But Skipper was careful, and soon they were high above the city.

"Hit the destruct button, 'Walski."

Rico woke up to that, and instantly ran up to the front. "Lemme 'oo it!"

"Go ahead, you crazy animal." Skipper told him.

Rico pushed the button, and below them, their warehouse and HQ and any incriminating evidence went up in a small fireball.

"Kaboom." Rico yawned and then went back to the little bunk to sleep.

"So, which way, Isobel?" Skipper asked his navigator.

Isobel glanced one last time at the lights of the city, and then out into the blackness. "East. Over the horizon."


	19. The Calm & The Storm

Chapter 19: The Calm & The Storm

Within a matter of minutes, they had glided over the city and into the inky blackness of the countryside.

Everyone was quiet, each with heads full of memories. None of them knew if they would see it again. And to Skipper, that was okay. He was ready for a new chapter in life. If it didn't involve New York, he would be all right.

Once they were at the beginning of the Atlantic Ocean, most of them were asleep.

Skipper looked over at Isobel and saw that she was fighting it as she curled up in her half of the chair, folding her arms and squinting at one of the maps Kowalski had given her.

"You should sleep." Skipper said quietly to her. "I think I can handle it for a little while."

Isobel nodded and she placed the map in a compartment underneath the instrument board. She leaned back and fell asleep.

Skipper clicked on his headset so he could talk to Kowalski. "'Walski, take over for me. Gonna get some joe."

"Roger that." Kowalski replied.

Skipper took off his headset and hopped off his chair. He walked to the back of the helicopter. The small crate that held essentials was between the benches that the lemurs, Private, and Rico slept on.

Skipper unlocked the crate and opened the lid. He pulled out some instant packets of coffee, which he detested, but it wasn't exactly feasible to have a coffee pot brewing aboard the heli.

He poured hot water out of the thermos they had into two cups, and stirred in the mix.

Julien's nose twitched and he woke up, smelling the coffee. He made a face when he saw what it was. "I'd rather be smelling the fishy smell."

Skipper looked over at him while he stirred the second cup of coffee. "Don't they grow coffee in Madagascar?"

Julien shrugged and laid his head back down. "I am not a farmer, how should I be knowing?"

Skipper rolled his eyes and made his way back to the front of the helicopter. He knew Julien had changed, but apparently still did not know too much about his own country.

Skipper handed a cup of coffee to Kowalski, and asked him if he'd pilot for a little longer.

"Absolutely." Kowalski said. "By the way, with the gas tank I put in this, we shouldn't have to stop until at least Cape Town."

Skipper nodded. That was in South Africa, which was still quite a bit out of their way, but was better than having to stop on obscure islands.

Even with the coffee, he was still falling asleep. He looked over at Isobel once more, who was clearly exhausted from her day. He had noticed her hooded eyes, and knew that she had been crying, but he knew she would be okay. They were going to her home, after all.

Soon enough, Skipper fell into sleep's arms as well.

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The sun stretched its golden rays over the ocean, warming its waters and waking the sleeping the bunch of animals in the Charley.

Skipper's eyes cracked open. He looked over to his right and saw that Isobel was having a disagreement with Kowalski. She occasionally pointed towards the east, where the sun was rising, and insisted to Kowalski that he had drifted too far west. Even Skipper could see that, and he cleared his throat.

"She's right, Kowalski." He said. "Level the Charley out."

Kowalski finally agreed and steered them a little farther east. He held up his flipper to shield his eyes from the sun.

Isobel knew how to remedy that, and she went back to where the other lemurs were sleeping. She shook Maurice awake, and he looked at her tiredly.

"Where's the party bag?" She asked him.

Maurice had made a "Party Essentials" bag before they left, which apparently they always took with them on trips, just in case.

Maurice pointed above them, to a closed compartment. Isobel climbed up to it and opened it. The bag fell out, and she recognized it as the bag that had held the Brazilian Real. She unzipped it and rifled through it, and then found what she was looking for. She walked back over to Kowalski, and he looked down at her hands. She was holding a pair of sunglasses.

"Einstein's trousers, of all the inventions, I am most grateful for these at this moment." He happily put on the sunglasses.

Skipper chuckled. "Classy, 'Walski."

Isobel went back to reading maps. She was marking their progress with a red pen.

"We should be in South Africa in six hours. How long will we stay there?"

Skipper thought about it. "We need to stay the rest of the day for R&R. How long with it take to get to Tali from there?"

"About four hours."

Skipper nodded. "We'll just leave before sun-up. Does that sound alright?"

"Yes." Isobel leaned back.

After a few moments, she got up and walked to the back. It was clear she was anxious to get there, as she had not been very talkative and was very straightforward.

She thought that perhaps Julien could cheer her up, like he always did.

Sure enough, about ten minutes later, Skipper could hear everyone joining in on a hilarious conversation. He didn't mind, as he had to stay with Kowalski.

They switched places, and Skipper took over piloting from his seat. Kowalski sat back to watched the sky and the ocean waves beneath them. He imagined all kinds of sea life living beneath those waves, like tropical sea turtles and migrating dolphins and whales. But as he looked at the blue ocean lit by the sun, he noticed it start to grow dark. He looked back to the sky, and saw deep grey clouds quickly covering the sky and the sun.

"Oh no." he felt dread hit his chest, and at the same moment, heavy rain began to pelt the windshield.

The Charley began to weave dangerously in the wind, and Skipper tried to stay calm as everyone in the back went silent.

"I need options, Kowalski!" Skipper shouted.

Kowalski hurriedly put his headset back on, and held onto his controls. He looked down at the spinning instruments, and heard the engine roaring hard in protest.

Mikhailov was back by Isobel, nervously scratching his talons against the floor. He was worried about how he could protect Isobel should the Charley go down.

Isobel laid a hand on his wing, and gave him an assuring look.

"Everyone hold onto something." She started giving direction. "Rico, make sure these crates and compartments are secured."

She steadily walked to the front, having to drop down every now and then as harsh winds rocked the Charley. She reached the front and saw the scene that was unfolding before them.

The ocean was churning angrily with the wind, and the sky looked like an impenetrable black wall of thick clouds, which were spouting rain and lightning. She knew how quickly the ocean could change, and how dangerous these storms were. She prayed that Jack would not get caught in this. But he was an experienced seafarer. To her knowledge, Skipper and Kowalski had no experience with tropical storms.

"We need to slow down." Isobel said calmly to both penguins. "We can't fight the wind."

"Like tying up sails on a ship." Kowalski agreed, and he brought their speed down just enough so they wouldn't lose too much altitude.

Skipper searched his brain for any lessons on flying he had learned at the academy.

" _In the instance of heavy turbulence, do not try and turn your aircraft against the wind._ " His instructor had said, _"Control the aircraft so it continues to go forward, but do not try to pull it out of whatever direction the wind throws you in. The storm will pass._ "

Skipper pushed the controller forward. The wind pounded against them, as did the rain, but soon Skipper saw a stretch of light ahead, and he knew that would be the eye of the storm, where they would be safe.

"Hang in there, everyone." He said over his headset. "We're almost out of this."

A particularly strong gust pressed them down dangerously close to the waves, which elicited a few screams, but Skipper pressed on, and carefully brought them back up to the right altitude.

It was instantaneous, the edge of the storm meeting calm, and for a moment they fell again, but Kowalski picked up the speed, and they leveled out.

Skipper's flippers were shaking a little, but he plastered on a smile and looked back to everyone.

"Everyone okay?"

He received shaky replies. Mikhailov stood up from where he had nested down.

"Eet vas like being locked in washing machine."

Soon, the clouds dissipated and the sun shone through once more. The short-lived storm was gone, and it seemed as though it never happened.

"Where do you think it's headed?" Skipper casually asked Kowalski.

Before Kowalski could answer, Private gasped loudly.

"What is it, Private?" Skipper asked, concern edging his voice.

"Kowalski's GPS, I…" Private had grabbed the GPS the moment the storm started. He had wanted to know when it would end, and now he could see where it was going, as the GPS was locked on it. "Skippa, it's headed for New York."


	20. South Africa

Chapter 20: South Africa

The moment they landed in South Africa, Kowalski and Skipper jumped from their seats to join Rico and Private in the back. The watched the swirling grey mass approach North America on the GPS. Worry etched their faces, and the lemurs looked on at them empathetically. New York was their home; seeing it destroyed would destroy them as well.

"Kowalski." Skipper spoke thickly. "Probability of mass destruction?"

Kowalski opened his beak, and then shook his head. "It looks as though impact in imminent. A hurricane gains magnitude as it closes in on land. What we saw was nothing. It could obliterate the entire Eastern corridor."

Private sniffled a little, and they all shifted uncomfortably.

All they could do was wait.

Isobel went to sit with the other lemurs. Mikhailov was scratching his talons along the floor, unsure of what to say.

Isobel looked over at her friend. "Take Maurice and Mort outside. We'll be there soon."

The penguins had made a hasty landing in a clearing inside of some scrub brush.

"Come on." Mikhailov ushered Maurice and Mort out into the warm sunshine.

He left the door open, and the breeze wafted into the heli. He formed into a Firebird, and sighed in relief. He felt powerful once more.

Inside the heli, a miracle was unfolding before the penguins' eyes; the hurricane was breaking apart and dissipating back into the ocean.

"Impossible." Kowalski muttered and his comrades cheered. "I mean, fantastic, but how could that have happened?"

"Who cares, Walski? New York is safe!" Skipper clapped him on the back. "Now come on. Africa awaits us."

The penguins bounded outside, with Julien and Isobel following them.

"How do you feel?" Isobel asked Julien as they stepped out of the Charley.

Julien inhaled. "It is beginning to feel like home to me. Once we are in de Madagascar, it will be amazing."

Isobel nodded. "I feel that too. And it looks like everyone else does as well."

They looked to the rest of their group: Mort was having fun chasing canaries and eating a mango at the same time. Maurice was sitting on a boulder, shading himself with a fan. Rico and Private were taking turns with the binoculars to make sure no one was approaching, and Skipper and Kowalski were holding up a map and gesturing here and there.

They had landed between some scrub brush, and so it was unlikely that anyone would see them. However, the penguins would need to figure out a way to get some fuel.

Skipper mumbled to himself. "If only we could see form up above…Hey, where's ruski?"

At that moment, Mikhailov came back from around an acacia tree, humming a Russian folk song. There was blood on his beak, and he reeked. Isobel could tell that he had just hunted.

Julien wrinkled his nose as the Firebird's smell, but Mikhailov looked pretty happy.

"I vind warthog, he put up good squealing fight, but he became my lunch." He explained.

"Hey, Mik, mind doing us a favor?" Skipper went on to ask Mikhailov if he would circle over their perimeter and find out if there were any farms or markets nearby where they could find fuel. In Africa, even in the most obscure markets, it was possible to get just about whatever one needed.

Mikhailov found a market just a mile away, and he pointed the penguins in the right direction. Before they left, Isobel gave them a canteen and a few other things they would need. They would be gone for at least an hour, but anything could happen.

Mikhailov and the lemurs stayed behind. The sun was replaced by clouds, and it began to drizzle. Everyone went back inside the helicopter where it was dry. Mikhailov shook off, coating all of the cabinets in water droplets.

Isobel and Julien sat in one of the pilots' chairs, and Julien spun them around for a few minutes.

"I cannot wait to meet your family." He said suddenly.

They stopped spinning, and Isobel looked at him. "Me too, but, you won't be able to right away."

Julien tilted his head. "But why not?"

"I need to reestablish connection with my village before I let any of you near it." Isobel explained. "Talamaru is dangerous. I have always known this. And…I am going on a dream that they are still alive."

Julien hadn't really thought about that. There was still a possibility if her people were not there anymore. That made him wonder about his own people.

The penguins came back sooner than expected. They filled up the gas tank and disposed of the barrel they had rolled over to the Charley that contained the fuel. Everyone pitched in to make dinner, and soon they were sitting around the Charley with steaming plates of fish, dates, and some hard biscuits. It wasn't exactly glamorous food, but it was what they had been able to take with them.

"Isobel, I haven't even asked you," Private spoke up between bites, "But what should we do when we meet your people? We want to be respectful."

Before she answered that, Isobel told them all what she had told Julien.

"But I did not think to when you will meet them." She admitted. "The rules are similar to Atlantis when it comes to meeting the sheikh. Do not speak, do not come close to him, unless he invites you to do so. If you have been invited to the village, there will be food prepared for you. It's impolite to not eat what they make, but, do not worry, we don't eat anything too strange."

They all smiled at that.

Isobel listed a few more cultural norms, such giving great respect to the nature around them, and participating in ceremonies.

Night came, and the rain picked up a little. Thunder rolled in the distance. Mikhailov's ears pricked up at one particular roll of thunder.

"Lion." He said quietly.

"Really?" Private looked a little worried.

"Private, I'm pretty sure we have a scarier beast with us than a lion." Skipper chuckled.

Everyone went to sleep early, as they would have to wake up long before the sun would be up.

Skipper was trying to sleep in his pilot chair, but he was too busy thinking about the AG8 and their mission. Feelings of guilt had been creeping into his mind. What if the ruby wasn't trash? What if he really was stealing from the Ta'li people? He figured he would find out when the time came. For now, all he could do was hang on to the incentive that his team would be taken care of forever.

 **So this was the short, calm chapter. But not to worry, adventure is out there! And by out there I mean in the next chapter because that's when they will be arriving. :p Thanks for reading and please review!**


	21. Coming Home

Chapter 21: Coming Home

Skipper woke up to his alarm beeping at 0400. He shut it off and shifted groggily in his chair. The rain had stopped, and he could hear the cicadas outside.

He then noticed that the dashboard light was on, and Isobel was sitting beside Kowalski as she charted the final stretch of their journey.

She glanced over and saw that he was awake. She gave him a sleepy smile. "Good morning, Skipper."

"Morning." He kicked off his blanket and set about the task of waking up.

Isobel could see that he was tired. She went back to the crate to make him some coffee.

She set the coffee on the dashboard and woke up Kowalski.

"No, professor, it's force times acceleration." Kowalski suddenly jolted up. "Oh…Uh, good morning."

Before long, they were airborne and on their way to Madagascar.

Isobel looked back. She saw that the other lemurs and Mikhailov were still sound asleep, which was perfectly fine; a hyper Mort and a grump Russian at 4 A.M. was not a mix she wanted to deal with. However, she saw that Private was up, with headphones in his ear holes. Rico was messing with some RC airplanes that looked pretty bent out of shape. It looked like he was adjusting them to hold some types of explosives, which did not surprise Isobel in the least.

She decided to go over to Private. "What're you listening to?"

Private took out one of the earphones. "Oh, well, Julien let me borrow his MP3 because I couldn't sleep last night. But I didn't quite fancy his taste in music at the time, so I downloaded my own stuff. It's called indie music. Want to listen?"

Isobel nodded and sat down with Private. He passed her an earphone and she placed it in her ear. The music that came from it was rhythmic and soothing.

 _Leaving heading eastbound_

 _Weekend's almost here now_

 _It's getting warmer outside_

 _It all feels right…_

 _We'll head out for a long ride_

 _Sun is coming out now_

 _It all feels right…_

 _Close my eyes_

 _Think about the old times_

 _What's it all about?_

 _The feeling when it all works out…_

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A few hours later, the sun was out and everyone was awake. They were pretty excited now, as Madagascar was less than half an hour away. The sun danced in an inviting way out on the ocean, and Mikhailov looked longingly out at it.

Isobel saw her bored friend, and suddenly had an idea. "Skipper?"

"What's up?" Skipper called over his shoulder.

"How would you like it if Mikhailov and I raced the Charley?" Isobel asked mischievously.

Mikhailov looked back happily at Isobel, but Skipper laughed.

"Ha! You would lose in a heartbeat."

"You're scared, pengvin." Mikhailov chuckled as he started to form into a Firebird.

Skipper raised an eyebrow as he slowed the Charley to a hover. "Go ahead then. Get out."

Isobel and Mikhailov looked at each other excitedly. Isobel opened the door, and a cold ocean breeze wafted in.

"Let's show these pengvins vhat we do best, Aysobel." Mikhailov grinned down at Isobel, and the propeller's wind blew his feathery mane.

Isobel smiled at him and climbed onto his back.

They dropped from the helicopter and leveled out to be beside the Charley.

Isobel lifted her head at Skipper, and he nodded back. Private closed the door, and Skipper focused ahead of himself.

Isobel grabbed ahold of Mikhailov's feathers.

The gears of the Charley shifted, and they sped off.

Mikhailov dipped down a bit and brought his altitude back up, flying faster and faster as they caught up to the Charley.

"Duck down, Aysobel!" Mikhailov shouted over the wind. "Eet's going to get crazy."

Mikhailov flapped his wings as hard as he could, and then clamped his wings to his side, propelling forward like a missile.

Firebirds had the special talent of being able to shoot forward and spin like a bullet, which was when they were going at their fastest speed, but Mikhailov would not do that with Isobel on his back, as it was too dangerous.

He began flying circles around the Charley, keeping out of the propeller's reach and mocking Skipper.

He laughed when he caught sight of Skipper's grumpy face, and he shot forward again, ahead of the helicopter.

He and Isobel could both see the island of Madagascar as the approached it. Mikhailov let out a contented, bird-like noise as he unfurled his wings. He banked sideways and dropped down to let the tip of his wing graze the surface of the warm water.

The others in the Charley were excitedly looking out of the windshield, both to watch the Firebird and to look at Madagascar.

"We made it, everybody." Skipper said over the headset.

The island lay ahead, green, crisp, and practically perfect.

And as Mikhailov dove into the shallows of the sea, Isobel had fulfilled her promise; she had come home.

 **Yay, they're finally in Madagascar! Sorry for the short chapter, I'll try to update soon.**


	22. Strike the Forbidden Colours

Chapter 22: Strike the Forbidden Colours

Mikhailov leapt from the water and splashed down again, water droplets haloing them as he did so.

The ocean was pure and clear as crystal. Under the water, they could see for leagues and leagues.

They arose from the sea again, this time coming onto shore. Mikhailov walked into the shallows, rising like a god of the ocean itself. Small waves crashed down as he felt the sand squish between his talons.

Isobel jumped from Mikhailov's back, and laid down in the sand, where the tide could still reach under her. She looked at the brilliant morning sky as she caught her breath.

Slowly, the Charley descended onto the sand. The propellers made the palms sway back and kicked up sand. The engine was shut off and the props slowed down, and all was quiet again.

The door slid open, and Mort popped out first.

"Mada – Ow!" He landed face first in the sand, in true Mort-style.

"Wow." Maurice breathed out as he hopped down next to Mort. "It's better than I remember."

"Feast your eyes, boys." Skipper spread out his flippers as far as he could, a smirk on his face. "We're back. Our new and permanent home."

High-ones were passed around. They were happy to have landed safely, especially after the scare with the storm.

Julien approached Isobel as she stood up, brushing off sand and trying to dry off in the wind. Her hourglass figure was shadowed behind her by the morning sun.

"Is it as wonderful as I described it?" Julien came up beside her, a smile on his face.

"It's amazing." Isobel breathed out. "I cannot wait to see your people."

"Same here." Julien mentioned again.

Isobel looked at him, her index finger subconsciously grazing her hoop earring. "I wish it was that simple."

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They did not immediately wander into the jungle. They took their time enjoying the beach and just relaxing.

Before long, Mikhailov squinted out to the horizon, a small shape catching his sharp eye.

"Ship ahoy!" He shouted back to everyone.

Isobel ran to the Charley and rifled through her bag. She found the opera binoculars Jack had given her, and went to stand on the shore. She brought them up to her eyes, and sure enough, out in the distance, she could see the _Conquistadora_ closing in.

"Land straight on, Cap'n!" Aboard the ship, the watchman called down to Jack, lowering his scope.

Jack came up to the crow's nest with him and took the spyglass. He smiled when he saw that it was true. He yelled down to the navigator minding the wheel, "To the island there, Mr. O'Harty!"

"Aye, sir!" O'Harty spun the wheel around so they were pointed straight for the shore.

Jack looked up at the flag they were flying; just plain white, meant to be passive.

He smiled and jumped back down onto the deck. He found his cabin boy and pointed to the sails. "Take down that rag, and strike our forbidden colours."

"Aye, sir." The boy saluted him and went running for the flag Jack was talking about.

Jack placed his hands behind his back, feeling his chest swell with both pride and grief as he watched the white flag flutter down onto the deck to be replaced with a pirate flag. It was the usual, skull and cross-swords. He did not want to be associated with any pirate clan. He figured he should make his own soon. He was roused from his daydream by his crew cheering. They were all misfit pirates as well.

The ship was closing in on the shore. Jack saw that a few of his crew were waiting for orders.

"Secure those sails!" Jack shouted over the waves.

They did as they were told, and the _Conquistadora_ slowed considerably. The waves gently pushed it, and before they could hit a sandbar and damage the hull, Jack ordered that their anchors be lowered.

He wasted no time in waiting for a rowboat to be lowered. Instead, he shimmied down the side, and jumped into the shallow water, wading onto the shore. The breeze blew the bird-of-paradise feather in his hat across his face.

He made eye contact with the others on shore, and he smiled, charming as ever, and doffed his hat to them, bowing.

Isobel approached him, smiling broadly. "I'm happy you made it. The storm?"

"Ack." Jack waved it off, a grin on his face. "'Twas a mere sprinkling. No harm done."

Everyone else came to greet him as his crew secured mooring lines from the ship to the shore.

"I like your pirate flag, Jack." Private remarked as they walked farther up shore.

"Thanks, Private." Jack looked back over his shoulder at his ship. The flag blew around mysteriously in the wind. "Not many people would agree."

While Skipper and the other inspected the ship from afar, Jack and Isobel talked.

"I'm surprised we made it at the same time you did." Jack admitted. "The storm threw us off course. Then again, with this motley crew I scrounged up….In fact – Paolo!"

Jack's cabin boy, whose name was Paolo, came running up the shore. " _Si_ , captain?"

"Do you remember the day we left port?" Jack laid back in the sand, resting one foot on his knee. "I called the crew something rather good before we set sail."

Paolo cleared his throat, trying to remember the words. "You said they were 'A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots', sir."

Isobel couldn't help but laugh, not just because her brother most definitely said that, but because Paolo was so young and adorable, with his Italian accent poking through his English words.

Jack chuckled. "Thank you, Paolo. But I'll have you know, Isobel, they've proved themselves quite the opposite. I just love poking fun at them."

Soon enough, Julien rounded everyone up.

"I think we have kept the people waiting long enough!" he announced. "Come, let us find them so that they can be seeing their king and his honored guests."

Isobel decided to grab her bow and arrow from the Charley before they began their short journey.

Julien, Maurice, and even Mort had no trouble leading the way. They had not forgotten one inch of their old home.

The jungle became a little denser as they ventured farther from the beach, and Julien abruptly stopped in front of some broad-leafed plants.

"They are just behind here." Julien said quietly, clearly excited.

"Okay, plan of action." Skipper was perfectly comfortable giving orders. "Ringtail, Maurice, Sad Eyes, you head out first, make sure they haven't gone feral. We'll follow suit when the coast is clear."

Julien agreed. "Well, Mort, Maurice; the people are waiting."

And with that, they parted the large leaves and walked out to where the people could see them.

The people were lying in the clearing, lazing about. They looked up, and thought for a moment that their eyes were deceiving them. But they stood up, and saw that it truly was their king.

"Rejoice, my people!" Julien raised his arms as he called out. "Your king has returned from New York!"

The people instantly began to cheer. Immediately, they began to celebrate in his honor, but he called out again.

"Wait! I have brought with me honored guests which you must be meeting right now."

 **So, first things first, I guess 'colours' is another word for the flag being flown on a ship. Olde English type thing. :p Also, I forgot, but I have to give song credit for the previous chapter; the song was "It All Feels Right" by Washed Out.**


	23. Honored Guests

Chapter 23: Honored Guests

The people quieted, waiting for the guests to show themselves.

Julien looked back and motioned for the others to come out.

First, the penguins came out. The lemurs recognized them and began cheering for them.

Then, Jack was pushed forward from behind the leaves. He looked back grumpily at Isobel, but then he stepped forward and doffed his hat to the people, smiling broadly. They cheered for him as well.

"Go, Lady Aysobel." Mikhailov gently nudged her with his foot.

Isobel swallowed, readjusting her quiver. She parted the leaves, and stepped through to face a silent crowd.

The people stared at her bow and her green eyes. It started slowly, but the people's cheers for her were the loudest.

"What did I tell you? They love you." Julien smiled back at Isobel as he pulled her closer to him. And in a louder voice for his people to hear he said, "I give you the penguins, Jack, and Isobel! This woman right here, she's very pretty, yes?"

His statement was met with applause.

Isobel turned her head to see Mikhailov peeking through the leaves. She smiled a little and motioned for him to come out.

The Firebird walked up, towering over all those around him.

The people shrank back, instantly fearful as they murmured amongst themselves.

Julien knew he had to act, and he placed his palm on Mikhailov's shoulder. "Do not be afraid, my people! He is a friend. A little testy, but, he will not be eating you like the fossa!"

"Fossa?" Mikhailov and Isobel mouthed at each other. They shrugged, figuring it was a beast that ate the lemurs, so they could understand their fear.

Julien motioned for his group to come down into the clearing to mingle with the people. Everyone wanted to touch Mikhailov, just as it had been in Atlantis, but for different reasons.

Isobel looked at every one of Julien's people. They all looked different from each other, with brown eyes, blue eyes, and yellow eyes all common. Some were tall and some were short. It was a complete mix; everyone was unique. And for the first time, Isobel felt tall amongst some of her own species, because none of these lemurs were as tall as Atlanteans, and especially not the women.

Mort piped up after he had run around greeting everyone. "King Julien, are we going to party now?"

"Of course, Mort! That is the best part about coming home." Julien straightened back up after talking to the mouse lemur and looked around his people. "Well you heard the annoying monkey! Start this thing!"

And so that was how the party went; loud and unplanned. Everyone danced. They were in the trees and on vines and everywhere in the clearing.

The penguins hung back with Jack, but he was not able to sit still long as the Malagasy women kept asking him to dance.

Isobel and Julien stayed with each other, dancing like they always had.

Mikhailov was surveying the perimeter, as he kept a sharp eye out for the "fossa" the lemurs were so worried about. He had no idea what one looked like, but he figured it would be large and intimidating.

The party went uninterrupted for an hour. Everyone was swishing around and laughing and the mood was lighter than mist. That is, until someone shouted, "Fossa! The fossa are here!"

Everyone instantly hid, and Julien pulled Isobel behind a log with some other people.

"What-" Isobel began to ask.

"Shh." Julien whispered. "They will hear you and be eating us."

Within a moment, four mangy, scraggly, imbecilic-looking carnivores trotted into the clearing. They were panting and looked like they hadn't eaten in days.

"That…Is what we are hiding from?" Jack raised an eyebrow at Skipper.

Before Skipper could reply, they could all hear Mikhailov's deep chuckle as he sauntered into the clearing.

The fossa looked up at him, and he rolled his shoulder muscles. "I hear you are givink my vriends trouble. It vould be wise of you to go back into the jungle."

The fossa looked between each other, trying to understand this strange creature's words.

Mikhailov sighed, and rolled his eyes. He took a deep breath, and let out an ear-splitting shriek which sent the fossa running away yelping.

"Vell they understood that." He muttered.

The lemurs slowly came out from their hiding spots, and began to clap for Mikhailov, which turned into mobbing him and thanking him profusely.

He looked down at them, trying not to step on them as he backed away. "Vell, uh, you're welcome? Vhy you did not vight them off together in the virst place I do not know…"

It was decided that the remaining half of the party would be dedicated to Mikhailov's bravery. The people prepared food and made sugary drinks that they offered to their guests.

Isobel had to decline, as she had no idea what was in it, but the penguins, Jack, and Mikhailov all tried it.

Soon enough, they too were in the party spirit. Now it was Isobel that stood to the side to watch them have fun. Of course, their fun was brought on by the sugary drinks, but it was still entertaining to watch.

As Isobel leaned against a tree, arms crossed, she felt a pull on her heart. She looked to where it was dark in the jungle, and a path twisted.

 _Go._

She stopped leaning on the tree, and looked at the path again. She twitched her ears, and then grabbed Jack right before he passed by her.

"Jack," she said, "I'm going walking."

"You just be on yer way." Jack said groggily.

Isobel gave him a funny look. "Why did you have so much sugar? You know how you crash."

"Don't remind – _hiccup_ – me." Jack squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples, beginning to feel the effects of his sugar crash.

Isobel smiled at her brother, and then walked along the outskirts of the party to the pathway.

The jungle became darker and the party became quieter as she walked farther away. The moon came through the slits in the leaves and open spaces in the canopy, and this was enough to guide her. But as she looked around, her Ta'li eyes adjusted even more, and she realized she would not have even needed the moon. That, and the pull within her seemed to tell her which ways to go as she twisted through the forest. She felt a surge of excitement as she picked up her pace.

She came across a thick waterfall of jasmine vines. She pushed them aside, and it seemed they would never end. She looked up and saw that they were growing from the ceiling of a short tunnel. Bits of it were crumbling, as though one small earthquake could destroy it.

The vines came to an end, and she paused as she stepped into a new section of the jungle.

She knew she was no longer in Julien's Madagascar. This was Talamaru.

Isobel proceeded to walk on. Everything felt different, right down to the air itself. She gasped as a glowing creature buzzed past her. It landed on a tree branch, and she saw that it was a type of flying lizard, with neon spots on its back. The lizard turned to look at her, and Isobel's eyes widened as their green eyes met. How she had missed looking into the eyes of someone who had the glow that hers did.

Suddenly, the lizard squeaked and flew off in a hurry. Isobel looked up, and saw someone running towards her.


	24. Talamaru

Chapter 24: Talamaru

Isobel reflexively dodged whoever was trying to attack her. They both hid behind separate trees.

Isobel evened her breathing, and laid down her bow and quiver. She removed her dagger form the quiver, and she lunged out from behind her tree, where the attacker was waiting. She pinned them to the ground, and held her dagger against their throat.

" _Kehay_?" The Ta'li words came out harshly. "Who are you?"

"Niloufar?" The stranger instantly stopped struggling, and Isobel knew it was a woman.

Her accent was similar to Isobel's, but Isobel's had been tainted with Atlantean.

Isobel blinked, slowly moving the dagger away from the woman's neck. Her adrenaline slowed, and she could see clearly green eyes.

"Niloufar?" The woman asked again, more softly this time. "But…you are dead."

Isobel remembered that was her mother's name. She thought she recognized this woman's voice as she let her up. " _Khala_?" The Ta'li word for aunt. "Khala Sequoyah?"

" _Khala_?" Sequoya squinted at Isobel. "I am your brother's wife, Nilou."

Isobel smiled, hardly able to speak. She reached out to touch her aunt's, who she had not seen for fifteen years, shoulder. "No, khala. I am Isobel. It's me."

Sequoyah's light green eyes widened. "Isobel? How? We sent you away so long ago."

Isobel was worried that her aunt would be angry to see her here. "I…I have returned home. I could not keep away."

It was then Sequoya smiled, and tears of joy leaked form her eyes. She reached forward to touch Isobel's face. "It is you, child. You look just like Niloufar. But I see your father's trickster gleam in your eyes. And praise be to the creator, you are home. You must come back to the village so everyone can see you are alive."

Isobel balked suddenly. How she wanted to run into the village, to hug everyone she saw, to be surrounded by her people; the last shreds she had of her happy past before the murders and of her parents. "I cannot. I have friends back out there who will be expecting me soon. But we can talk."

"Very well." Sequoyah walked a little further into the forest. She stepped on moss, and some of it was bioluminescent, and it glowed green at her touch. She wore a kind of translucent cape that resembled purple insect wings, and it matched her silvery grey fur perfectly. She also had pierced ears, but only twice instead of three times. "Tell me of the world you were raised in."

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It didn't take long before Julien noticed Isobel's absence.

He saw Jack, and went over to him. "Where did Isobel go?"

Jack was rubbing his temples like he had a migraine. "Walk in the forest."

He pointed in the general direction she had gone, and Julien went that way. However, he remembered that he might need the compass Isobel had given him, and so he retrieved it and took it with him.

By the time he had gone half the way Isobel had gone, he was practically out of breath. But he flipped open the compass, which pointed him eastward.

Within a few minutes, he was standing in front of the jasmine vines. He walked through.

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"I will come in the morning, I promise." Isobel said to her aunt before they parted ways.

"We will be waiting for you, Isobel." Sequoyah waved once more before she turned to walk back to her village.

Isobel readjusted her quiver, and began to make her way back to the vines that would lead her into Madagascar.

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Julien knew he was lost now. He had walked through the vines and was now kindof faraway from there. The jungle floor was tangled in tree roots, and he miss stepped, and reached out to catch his fall. His hand landed on a mossy tree trunk, and he saw it glow bright green.

Isobel had told him about this. She called it bio…biolumi-

His awe was cut short by the cackling laughter of hyenas. But when he turned to get a better look, he saw that they were not hyenas, but were jackals, dark as charred wood; just like in his nightmare.

He could hear their claw-studded paws raking up the ground as they circled him quickly. Cackling and circling, cackling and circling.

They showed off their razor sharp talons and obsidian teeth. When they hissed, it unnervingly sounded like rattlesnakes, giving off the impression that poison mixed with their saliva to pack a lethal bite.

Julien's heart raced, and he thought perhaps they just wanted to scare him, and not eat him.

But then one lunged out from the pack, long claws outstretched and gaping maw opened wide. It leapt onto Julien, pinning his shoulders to the ground.

Julien struggled, and he felt the claws start to sink into his fur, but not his skin just yet.

The jackal seemed to chuckle as it arched its head back, inhaling grossly as it prepared to inject him with its venomous fangs.

But before it could do so, it yelped loudly, and flopped onto its side. Julien could breathe again, and he hurriedly moved away from the jackal, and saw there was an arrow sticking from its ribcage.

Then Julien turned to see the shadow of his rescuer.

He saw it was Isobel, by her green eyes and the fletching on the arrow. But he did not think she could see him.

She had to get rid of the other jackals, and she drew another arrow. She shot it near their feet, and all of them ran away except for one.

Isobel hissed at it, showing her small white fangs, while the jackal growled back, revealing its long, ebony ones.

They exchanged harsh words that Julien did not understand, and soon the jackal gave a loud bark, and ran away, clearly upset.

Isobel looked in Julien's direction, but she approached the jackal she had shot. She kneeled down, her expression softer now. The arrow had not gone deep, and it was covered in a sleeping agent. The jackal was not dead, but in a temporary coma. Isobel set to work removing the arrow, and stuffing the wound with moss and sticky sap from ground flowers.

She sighed, and then glared at Julien.

He felt a little stung. "I came to look for you."

Isobel stood up. "Your scent attracted the jackals. They knew you were lost. You are lucky this jackal did not have to die for your mistake."

Julien understood she was upset. She had just come home, and he had already ruined it.

But Isobel felt a breeze come through the trees, and heard quiet whispers on it. She sighed and went to sit beside Julien.

"I did not mean to be angry," she began, "But, Julien, I fear for you here. It is dangerous. Stay away from here until I know you can be safe."

"Okay." Julien agreed. "So, is that thing going to wake up?"

Isobel's ears pricked up. "Yes. We need to leave before she does."

They began their walk back to the vines, and their footprints left behind green, pink, and purple glowing moss. It was magical.

"So, you are saying this is a dangerous place?" Julien began to boast. "Well, I am not being afraid. I totally could have taken those dog things."

Isobel spun around and in one swift motion had Julien pinned to the ground. "You should be afraid, king. You were almost eaten by diamond-backed jackals."

She released his shoulders and stood up. Julien looked up at her, eyes wide as saucers. He understood now that boasting was not effective flirting with her.

She turned away and began walking on again, and he scrambled up to follow her.

"I know, I know. I totally would not have taken on those, eh, diamond-y jackals. So, thank you."

Isobel's ears twitched as she looked over her shoulder at him, but she did not reply.

They walked through the vines, and it seemed as though Isobel had no problem swishing her way through them, but Julien kept getting whacked in the face. It was as though the jungle was trying to take Isobel back and humiliate him in the process.

They were back in regular Madagascar jungle, and it already felt less wild.

Julien had not quite learned his lesson about saying dumb things in front of Isobel, and before he could stop himself, he said, "You know, you could only jump me like that because I was not ready,"

And once again, Isobel turned around did exactly that again. "Were you ready then?"

But this time, Julien was sure he saw a hint of a smile.


	25. Midst of Life

Chapter 25: Midst Of Life

The sun rose over the jungle, and its rays swept across the forest floor.

Isobel had left long before any had awoken, but she had told her plans to Julien the night before so he wouldn't worry.

Mikhailov had come with Isobel, as it would only be proper. She sat on his back as they crossed into Talamaru.

The jungle looked different during the day. The plants did not give off bioluminescence now, and there were different creatures out. Tiny deer weaved between Mikhailov's large paws, and beautiful bird-of-paradise flitted between the trees, showing off their long feathers. Flowers bloomed and put out a wonderful scent. Spring had just begun.

Isobel's ears twitched as she listened carefully to the sounds of the jungle. She memorized the repetitive calls of the birds until finally she was able to pick one from the rest; a sharp, two-note call.

"Wait." She told Mikhailov. She made the same call, and it came again.

Mikhailov took the hint, and followed the call.

They found Sequoya waiting for them in a high tree, and she smiled down at them before joining them.

She knew exactly what Mikhailov was, but she had not seen one in so long. She laid a hand on his shoulder, and took a breath. "It is good to see you here. Isobel told me of you. You're Russian?"

Mikhailov nodded. " _Da_ , and a very hungry Russian at that. I vill find you later."

He turned on his heel, excited to hunt in this new place.

"Northern Firebirds used to be so rare." Sequoya remarked as she and Isobel walked on. "But now it seems the southern ones have gone extinct."

Isobel nodded. "Who is the sheikh, _khala_?"

"Ajihad." Sequoyah said softly as she smiled. "Your uncle, my husband."

"This is good." Isobel figured it would be him, and her heart beat happily that she would see her mother's brother.

They entered the village, and Isobel stopped in her tracks; it was exactly like her dream.

It was centered in a large clearing, and was not far from a river. Women carried baskets of fruit from the harvest while warriors, who had actually never had to see war, thanks to their sheikh, practiced their bow making and played games with the children.

Isobel took it all in. She looked to the left, where their home tree towered high, high above the canopy of the other jungle trees. This was where they all slept, safe in each others protection.

Isobel remembered that fateful night, when she had sat on her frightened mother's lap just before she died.

She pushed those thoughts away, and searched for familiar faces. Before long, she could spot her uncle, the sheikh. He was walking through the village, his Aztec-style crown commanding space as the yellow, gold, and striped pheasant and bird-of-paradise feathers stretched out from it. He was tall and lean, and perhaps only seventeen years older than Isobel. His fur was like hers, but with more black and no white on his chest. When he looked in her direction, she could see that his eyes were deep green like the jungle around them, just a shade darker than hers.

Their eyes met, and he stopped in his tracks as well.

People passed between them, blocking their views every now and then, but Isobel could see tears welling in Ajihad's eyes.

Finally, they closed the distance and embraced each other.

"Isobel." Her uncle said it like he still did not believe she was there, after so long. "You are _home_."

She held onto him tightly. He was her blood, her bones, her flesh. She had not been able to feel that nearly her whole life.

When they let go, Ajihad led her to stand in front of the home tree, called _nyumbani_.

Ajihad cleared his throat. Within a few moments, everyone noticed their sheikh standing how he would before a speech, and they ceased their work to look and listen.

"Our lotus flower has come home." He stated, his voice clear. "Through her veins, the blood of Niloufar and Wilan flows on. Isobel, our princess, is home."

While the Ta'li people applauded for her, Ajihad smiled.

"Tonight, we will feast in her honor. Until then, she and I have much to speak of."

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Skipper finished cleaning the sand out from the crevices of the Charley's belly. A toothpick dangled in his beak, a habit he had grown accustomed to. Julien had said Isobel was in Talamaru, and Skipper thought of what that would be like. He himself was excited to see it, and not just for finding the heart of the earth that the AG8 wanted so badly.

"Skippa!" Private was walking towards him along the shore. "I was thinking of collecting some new fruits today. We could have a fruit salad or something."

Skipper nodded once. "That's nice, Private. Take 'Walski with you."

"To where?" Kowalski had been sitting in the doorway of the Charley, flipping through a manual and not paying attention.

"Just to collect fruits." Private explained. "Plus this would give you a chance to collect those samples you were talking about."

Kowalski nodded. "Certainly. Then I'll have specimens to compare the ones from Talamaru to."

They were on their way, and Skipper was by himself again. Rico was having fun looking at the weapon hold on Jack's ship at the moment, and probably wouldn't be back until after noon.

Skipper climbed up into the Charley and pulled out the papers Alistair had given him. He knew what the ruby looked like, but one of the papers was able to give a better idea about the location. There were confusing instructions, like "Two-hundred paces southward of _nyumbani_ ". He had no idea what that meant. He figured that once he got to know Ta'li itself, then it would be easier. But he was still finding it hard to believe that this ruby was something they wouldn't want.

He shrugged, and put the papers away.

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"You have journeyed far, Isobel." Ajihad said as the pair walked along the clear jungle paths that were teeming with life. "How did you come back?"

"Well," Isobel smiled, forever happy to tell this tale. "It began when I was venturing outside of the Atlantean boundaries…"

She gave him detailed descriptions of the penguins, and he nodded along.

"These sound like highly intelligent birds." He remarked.

She went on to tell him of Jack, of her father the king, and of course about Mikhailov. But she left out Julien and Clopar.

"When could I bring visitors?" Isobel asked.

"After you have been re-established." Ajihad explained. "I want to meet these people who have helped you so much, but we do not want to make the people uncomfortable. Our last visitors…"

Isobel nodded, remembering all too well, and so Ajihad did not finish what he was saying.

They began going around so Isobel could meet everyone. She was so happy to see her people. But what she noticed was a lack of Ta'li eyes, which were usually a few different shades of vibrant green and turned golden against firelight. But most of their eyes only had streaks of that. Some had grey or light green eyes, but none were like hers or Ajihad's. This was strange, but she figured it was from marrying into different tribes, which meant there would be strong ties. So this was not bad.

Ajihad explained to her that not all of the villagers were there, as they were out gathering fruits and practicing archery.

"Do any of them have Firebirds?" Isobel asked, hopeful, even though she knew how rare they were now.

Ajihad shook his head sadly. "We have none. We do not know what happened to them. For a while, they were coming back to Talamaru, but they disappeared almost four or five full moons ago."

Ajihad continued to speak to her, but his voice trailed off in her ears. Isobel stared into the clearing, her breathing growing rapid as she tried to slow it through her nose. Blistering anxiety crept into her chest. For there, in the midst of life and among her people, and free of the desert, was Clopar.

 **Wow, major cliffhanger and plot twist! What do you think of that?**


	26. Bound

Chapter 26: Bound

 _He is dead, he is dead. The sand swallowed him up._

Isobel's mind was racing, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. That could not be Clopar. But she stared at him unrelentingly, and he looked up.

It truly was him.

Slowly, his lips curled into a vicious smile, revealing his viper fangs.

"Isobel?"

She could hear Ajihad's voice, and she ripped her stare away from Clopar to look at her uncle.

Instantly, Ajihad grew concerned at Isobel's wide eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." Isobel spoke in barely a whisper. Her vision was fuzzy in the corners.

But Ajihad knew better, and he invited her to sit down for a moment. He sat with her.

"New York and Atlantis have softened your senses." He finally spoke up again. "The heat and humidity are getting to you."

Isobel glanced at him, her heart rate beginning to slow down. "Yes. That must be it."

She did not know why, but the words to tell her uncle of what happened to her were stuck in her throat. She could not tell him. He would trust no outsiders again if she did. But how could Clopar be here, at all?

But Ajihad was still speaking of the climate. "Do not worry, it is spring. Breezes will come through here. Hopefully you will acclimate by summer, when it is truly h-"

" _Khal_?" Isobel spoke without thinking, and realized she had interrupted him. Her ears flattened a little.

But he shook his head to let her know to continue.

"Have…" Isobel glanced over to where Clopar was, but he had vanished. _Of course._ "Have there been any new additions? Are you accepting outsiders?"

Ajihad nodded. "Yes. We have one man from a tribe up north. He is one of the last. They used to war with your father's tribe, but, seeing as he is the last, I invited him to our own. He won't be allowed to marry any of our Ta'li women however. And we have another, who has proven himself an excellent archer."

Isobel nodded slowly. _The last of a northern tribe?_ She thought to herself. _Is that the best Clopar can do?_ Incroyable _._

"I want to go for a walk, Khal." Isobel stood up, implying that she felt better. "I will return soon."

Ajihad agree reluctantly, and turned away to go about his business.

Isobel glanced around, wondering where Clopar had gone. She wanted to confront him, feeling slightly more empowered here. And Mikhailov was also somewhere wandering the forest.

She spotted a winding path that she knew led to a less dense part of the jungle. She figured Clopar had gone there, as he would not know the more difficult paths.

She made her way up the pathway, and came upon a miniature "forest" of trees that resembled spiraled sea shells. They were stretching up to the large rays of sunlight that filtered through the thinner canopy of taller trees.

They were beautiful, and alien. Isobel stepped close to one. She reached out to touch it with an outstretched finger, and realized she had become distracted a moment too late. She heard an eerily familiar voice behind her.

"Hello, Isobel."

Isobel took a deep breath, willing herself to be strung. She felt the reassuring weight of her quiver on her back as she turned to face him.

"Clopar."

Clopar stepped a little closer, and laughed. Perhaps she did look a little uneasy still.

"You expected me dead, no doubt." He said coolly. "Sorry to disappoint, _princess_."

"No one can survive the Valley." Isobel managed to look him in the eye. "And yet somehow you did."

"If you're looking for an explanation, then you will not find one." Clopar narrowed his eyes slightly. "I imagine you have come back with those blundering zoo animals."

Isobel narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Clopar? Why are you here?"

A smile grew on Clopar's lips again, and his dark eyes lit up. "For my revenge."

Isobel could not help but laugh. "You, alone? Against dozens of Ta'li warriors?"

But then Clopar turned deadly serious as he lunged forward, so quick that Isobel could not react. Her quiver came undone and dropped to the ground as he back her against a tree trunk. He held a knife to her throat, a manic gleam in his eye.

"You think you know everything, don't you?" Clopar snarled. "You think I want revenge for that feeble old king shipping me here? That made me mad, yes, so I will deal with that in time. Isobel, you have no-"

But before Clopar could finish, Mikhailov had charged behind him, swiping his side with a heavy paw. Clopar fell to the ground, hands clamped to his side.

Isobel quickly picked up the knife he had dropped, and tossed it to Mikhailov, who snapped it in his beak.

Isobel glared down at Clopar, and he turned his head to snarl up at her. Mikhailov did not injure him as badly as he had intended to, but he had still drawn blood.

"You should run, before the jackals catch scent of you." Isobel spoke harshly to Clopar.

Clopar stood up, shakily, his teeth gritted. Before he disappeared farther into the undergrowth, he spoke chilling words.

"We are bound, Isobel. Bound."

Isobel swallowed, her ears flattening back. She had no idea what that could mean.

Mikhailov came to her side. "Aysobel…vas that him?"

"Somehow." Isobel told him.

Mikhailov looked between her and the jungle where Clopar had vanished to.

"I feenish him off right now."

"No, Mik." Isobel placed her palm on his chest. "Justice will find him. He is alone. There is not much he can do."

Mikhailov sighed. He did not know what was going through his Rider's head. He nudged her shoulder with his beak, and she gave him a slight smile.

She got up onto his back, and he carried her to the village.

It was time for him to meet her people.

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Ajihad was delighted to meet Mikhailov. He had never met a Firebird from so far north, and considered it a blessing. While he and Mikhailov discussed all sorts of things and planned on speaking with the village elders, Sequoyah pulled Isobel to the side.

"There a couple of people who I would like to reunite you with."

Isobel's ears perked up at that. She wondered who it could be as her aunt led her back down into the village.

They approached two girls around Isobel's age. Sequoyah stepped to the side as the three girls examined each other, trying to remember.

Isobel looked to the tallest girl first, who had a medium grey pelt, and deep blue eyes. She was thin, but pretty, and small silver hoops dangled from her ears.

Then Isobel glanced at the second girl, who was the shortest out of all of them. Her fur was tan and darker brown around her arms, legs, and chest. Her eyes were sea green and two tiny ruby studs adorned her ears, and was also quite pretty.

But none of them could remember each other, and they looked at Sequoyah, who smiled.

"Isobel, I was not sure if you'd remember Tira and Aneza. But you three used to dance together."

It was then that they really looked at each, and remembered when they were small, how they were just learning the traditional Ta'li dances.

They all smiled, and stepped forward to clasp their hands together.

"Isobel, you left us right when we were getting good!" Aneza, the shortest girl, laughed.

Isobel smiled, so happy to be around girl friends for once. "We will pick up where we left off."

"No way, you have got a story to share." Tira, the tallest girl, spoke up, hands on her hips.

Isobel remembered that Tira's family were refugees, washed up the shore of Madagascar from a freight ship that had been shipwrecked. They had stumbled into Talamaru, just her mother and her siblings. The Ta'li were not heartless, and welcomed in the widow and her hungry children with open arms. This was why Tira and her family had Spanish accents, and not Ta'li accents.

Isobel smiled. Tira had always been feisty, and she was funny.

"Come with me, and I will tell you everything."

 **So, we met some new characters in this chapter. And also Clopar is back. o_0 Sorry if this chapter was jumbled, allergies have me all jumbled today. Anyways, thanks for reading and please review!**


	27. Handsome as Ever

Chapter 27: Handsome as Ever

"So where've you been the last fifteen years, girl?" Tira asked as they wound their way around jungle paths.

"In the ship yards and throne rooms of Atlantis." Isobel replied. "I was sent off to a king."

"A palace, how exciting!" Aneza caught up with the two taller girls. She was at least half a head shorter than Isobel, who was already shorter than Tira. "Did you meet any other royals?"

Isobel smiled, remembering Aleksander from the Eastern Kingdom. "A few."

"And what about the seafood?" Tira wanted to know. She loved food, and especially spicy foods or desserts.

"The best." Isobel loved to compliment her old home. "They make spiced hot chocolate there. You would love it."

While the girls chattered, Isobel noticed that they carried bows and quivers with them, as well as daggers tied around their waists. Isobel liked the idea of easily accessing her dagger. It would have been useful when Clopar surprised her.

"So, Isobel, you remember what time of the year it is?" Tira asked.

Spring was flourishing in Talamaru, and each year around this time was the week-long courtship ritual.

"Yes." Isobel nodded. She noticed her friend smile, and she smiled as well. "Do you think you will find someone this year?"

"Well it's our first year, remember?" Tira said excitedly. "We have to be twenty to join. Royalty is exempt, but that's another ball game. Anyways, it's in two weeks! It's a whole set up and everything."

Isobel nodded. "Anyone in particular?"

"Not really." Tira's lips went a little crooked as she shook her head. "Every guy wants one of you petite, beautiful Ta'li girls. Aneza's gonna do great."

Isobel laughed. "You are beautiful, Tira. There is someone for you, I am sure of it."

Tira shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, we'll see. But did you know your uncle already has someone picked out for you?"

Isobel stopped in her tracks. "What? I have been here two days. And not only that, but…An arranged marriage."

Aneza nodded in understanding. "My parents wanted the same for me but I appealed to the sheikh and he helped me out of it. Your uncle is a good man, he would not make you marry a man who would not treat you well."

"I know, he would not." Isobel folded her arms. "But…I already have someone."

Instantly Aneza and Tira were squealing, and they sat down, eager for Isobel to give details.

Isobel explained some background with the penguins and all about Julien, but that was all.

Tira was smiling. "Your _tio_ is going to be so mad. But a king! Maybe he won't reject it."

Isobel nodded. "Hopefully, yes. But, just for fun, tell me who he had picked out."

Aneza brought her hands over her heart. "He is so _handsome_ , Isobel."

"Is that so?" Isobel laughed.

Tira nodded enthusiastically. "Eyes like the ocean! And he's funny. And he's a great archer, really, you should see him."

Isobel tilted her head a little. _Eyes like the ocean?_ Where had she seen eyes like that…

Before long, they made their way back to the village, as Tira and Aneza had some work to do.

Isobel went to find the sheikh. She needed to speak with him about the arranged marriage. Telling him about Julien would have to be put off though.

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Back in Madagascar, Kowalski and Private had finished with all of their fruit collecting. They had four full baskets sitting beside the Charley. Rico was eating fruits left and right, although Kowalski tried to warn him that some of them would give him an awful stomach ache if he ate too much.

In the jungle of Madagascar, Mort was swinging from a branch while he hummed a tune.

It was a hot and humid mid-afternoon, and no one was in the mood to do anything.

Jack was leaning against a palm tree as he fanned himself with his hat. His crew were picking mussels off of the hull of the ship, even though he insisted that it was much too hot. But nevertheless, they went about it. Such a loyal crew he had chosen.

Julien was up in a tree, laying down and letting one of his arms dangle over the edge. He was bored as ever and missing Isobel. He wished he could go to Talamaru already, but just as Isobel had said, he would probably get eaten on his first day.

"Why the long face, Ringtail?" Skipper looked up at him. He had come into the jungle to see what everyone was up to, and also to escape the sun.

Julien glanced down lazily at him. "It is the worst case ever of the boredoms, testy penguin. I am believing it is terminal."

"Sounds serious." Skipper said. He was feeling particularly generous on this day. "I think I know what'll fix it though."

"Nothing can cure this." Julien sighed. "Not even – my boomie box!"

Skipper proudly set Julien's boom box, which Mort had accidently destroyed the previous night but Skipper had repaired with Kowalski's help, at the base of the tree. "You have fun now."

"Yes!" Julien leapt from the tree. "It is time to party. Everybody get your lazy selves up!"

Skipper walked back to the Charley. He was planning on closing the doors and blasting the A/C so he didn't have to hear Julien's music.

"Hold up." Jack came along with him. "The music isn't exactly my taste either."

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Isobel had found Ajihad, and explained how the king had tried to set her up in arranged marriages. The sheikh absorbed everything she had said, and mulled it over carefully.

"I understand." He said finally. "I was able to marry Sequoyah at my own choosing, and I love her with all my heart and we are happy together. So I wish the same for you."

Isobel smiled in relief. "Thank you, khal."

Ajihad rubbed his chin. "Would you at least meet the man I had in mind? We have become friends, and perhaps you will too."

Isobel nodded. "This is fair."

He led her to the clearing in the forest her mother used to take her. There were many Qual'a trees now, and so several archers could practice at once.

Isobel gathered it was one of the archers, just as Tira had told her.

Ajihad pointed him out, and although Isobel could only see his back, she squinted. His fur seemed familiar.

Ajihad smiled as he called out, "Practicing again, Topaz?"

It was then Isobel's eyes widened.

Topaz turned around, and his steely greyish-blue eyes landed on her green ones.

Isobel found it odd that he only looked mildly surprised to see her. She had never told him that she was from here, and wouldn't he be just as surprised as she was to see him?

But Ajihad interrupted her thoughts as he began introductions. Of course, he did not know that they already knew each other, and they were not about to tell him.

Topaz held his bow and the arrow he had not yet shot in both hands. He bowed a little. "My lady."

Isobel twitched her ears. "Topaz."

Ajihad looked between the two. "I'll leave you to getting to know each other."

He turned on his heel, and went about the village to make sure everything would be ready for the feast.

Isobel sighed. "Why are you here, Topaz?"

Topaz smiled a little, and Isobel hated to admit that he had a handsome smile. But she noticed his smile was not deluded in any way like Clopar's; it was warm and sincere. "I'm here for the courtship."

"You are not Ta'li, how could you?" Isobel questioned.

Topaz shrugged. "The sheikh invited me to. You know, he told me that I would be good for you. Might have to take him up on the offer."

He turned back to a target and nocked his last arrow as Isobel laughed.

"He and I have already spoken. There will be no arranged marriage."

"True." Topaz let the arrow go. It was a bull's eye. "I figured you would not like that. But there is still the courtship."

Isobel's smile vanished. "You're as conceited as I remember."

Topaz turned back to her, a smile on his face. "And you're as stubborn and beautiful as I remember. I'll see you soon, Isobel."

Isobel walked off angry. He was so arrogant and stubborn. Of course, she was also stubborn, but he irked her like no one could. But he was the least of her problems with Clopar running around.

 **Whaaat, another surprise character from a previous story? I know, things are a little crazy right now and also might be confusing. But don't worry, things will become clear soon! If you have any questions, feel free to ask.**


	28. Lotus

Chapter 28: Lotus

There was still a few hours before the feast, and Isobel decided she and Mikhailov could return to Madagascar for the time being.

"I am vorried for you now." Mikhailov said softly as they passed through the vines. "Vith Clopar-"

"I will be fine." Isobel cut in. "Clopar is smart, he would not try anything here, around the sheikh. He would be put to death."

Mikhailov sighed, but agreed. "Alright, my lady."

They reentered Madagascar and came upon Julien's people going about their midday chores.

Isobel scanned for Julien, who was sitting beside his boom box, looking forlorn.

She approached him and he lifted his eyes to her.

"Isobel!" His ears perked up. "I am so glad to be seeing you."

Isobel smiled a little, and she inclined her head towards the boom box. "What happened to it?"

Julien's ears drooped again. "Oh, the batteries melted. Right in the middle of a good song too."

Isobel nodded. "I'm sorry. I was going to see the penguins, if you wanted to come."

"Okay, it is being too hot for any fun out here anyway." Julien said as he stood up.

Isobel was quiet as they walked to the beach, but Julien didn't notice. He asked about Talamaru, and she gave simple answers.

They knocked on the slide-out door of the Charley, and Kowalski opened it.

"Oh, greetings. Come in." He stepped aside and the lemurs entered, while Mikhailov changed into a falcon so he could fit inside as well.

The penguins had been chatting contentedly in their air-conditioned helicopter, but the moment Private looked at Isobel, he knew something was off.

"What's wrong, Isobel?" Private asked her.

Skipper and Jack stopped talking and both looked to her as they waited for an answer.

But Isobel only looked to her brother, and spoke softly in Atlantean.

Jack's expression gave away that it was serious, and instantly Skipper needed to know.

"Plain English, doll, we want to help too." He said evenly to her.

"Clopar is alive." Isobel's green eyes were glistening with what looked like fear. "I saw him. He spoke to me, threatened me even."

" _What_?" Jack, Julien, and Skipper all said in unison.

Fur and feathers were clearly bristling all around.

"He is living in Talamaru, amongst my people." Isobel went on. "The sheikh invited him in, as Clopar told him he was from a northern clan."

"But surely you told him who he really is?" Kowalski asked.

Isobel shook her head. "No. If I do, he will never trust outsiders again. None of you will be allowed in."

Skipper swallowed. He needed that ruby, but he certainly did not want Isobel to get hurt over it. "If that's what you want."

Everyone else looked at the penguin leader.

"Are you mad?" Jack asked him. "Of course she has to tell the sheikh."

"She has a point." Skipper countered. "He's not stupid enough to try and kidnap her again with her uncle and the entire village to protect her. Something tells me the Ta'li aren't as merciful as the Atlanteans."

"He's right." Isobel spoke up again. "There's no need to worry. I will be fine."

Unsteady agreements went around. But they were not reassured. They knew Mikhailov would give his life to protect Isobel, but he was just one Firebird. Clopar could maneuver around him.

"I must speak with you." Isobel pulled Julien back outside while Mikhailov stayed with the penguins.

Once they were walking along the beach near the water, Isobel told him of who else she had seen.

"Topaz is in Talamaru as well."

Julien stopped in his tracks. "Say what?"

"My uncle wanted me to have an arranged marriage with him," she was quick to continue talking before Julien exploded, "But I explained to the sheikh I would not do that. He agreed with me, so there is no worry of that now. I'm not concerned about Topaz, but it is still strange he is there."

Julien nodded. "I wonder why. And if he is there, then where are Mauve and my siblings?"

"I'm sure they're alright." Isobel assured him. "He did not seem upset. At home, even."

"Okay." Julien's ears twitched. "This is weird, Isobel. The people from our past that we never wanted to see again are all here."

"It must be for a reason." Isobel said softly. "Perhaps they have places in our fates."

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Isobel later returned to Talamaru with Mikhailov for the feast, leaving their companions alone once again.

Jack had gone back to have dinner with his crew aboard their ship, and Julien went back to his village to tell Maurice everything.

"Seriously? Wow." Maurice raised his eyebrows after Julien had told him what Isobel had said. "That is just too freaky that both of them are there. Do you think they could be there like, a team?"

Julien shook his head. "No way. Topaz is lame, not an evil guy. It is some freakish coincidence planned by the Sky Spirits."

"Some coincidence." Maurice said under his breath.

Back at the Charley, the penguins were exercising on the beach as the sun went down.

Kowalski had been looking towards the sunset, and Skipper noticed.

"Our city is just over there." He said. "I miss it too, 'Walski."

"So we always will." Kowalski said solemnly.

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At the feast in Talamaru, Isobel was sitting beside her aunt.

" _Khala_ ," she asked as she watched dancers performing around the communal fire, "Is there anyone here who can teach me swordsmanship? I would like to learn."

Sequoyah smiled. "You would make a great warrior, like your father. Tira is quite good with the sword, but I know someone better who will teach you. Come tomorrow and I will have it arranged."

Isobel nodded, and Sequoyah asked a question.

"Are you a skilled archer?"

"They could be sharpened." Isobel admitted. "I hope to be as good as my mother."

"I don't see why not." The light of the flames highlighted the shimmers in Sequoyah's cloak. "And, because of your Firebird, you will need the tattoo of a Rider."

Isobel had never heard of this. Then again, she had never known another Rider. "What is it?"

"A small blooming lotus on the inside of your wrist. You know the story of the lotus," Sequoyah waited for Isobel to nod before going on, "You and your Firebird have gone through great trials and tribulations to be together, just as the lotus must make its way through the mud and the muck to show the world its beauty. I can give you one tomorrow as well."

Isobel had never thought of it that way. She wondered what Mikhailov had gone through to meet her all the way in New York. " _Shukran, khala._ "

 **Happy Independence Day! Sorry for the super delay in updating, I'll try to be better about that. Thanks for reading, faithful readers, and please review.**


	29. My Only Child

Chapter 29: My Only Child

Skipper was still awake when the moon reached the middle of the sky. He knew that even though they were away from New York (and their enemies), they needed to keep on the high alert, especially now that Clopar was back. He was on watch until the two, but he wouldn't have minded staying up all night. He found walking along the beach, highlighted by the moon, and blissfully quiet aside from the waves, surprisingly relaxing.

 _This is a place a man can think,_ he thought to himself.

He looked up at the stars, and was surprised to see the full stretch of the Milky Way, an impossibility of New York.

Just as he was looking up, he saw a figure fly across the sky and in front of the moon, just for a split second.

He squinted, thinking he had seen the silhouette of a Firebird. But he shook his head and dismissed it, blaming lack of sleep for his delusions.

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"I hev never eaten so much sturgeon in my life." Mikhailov groaned as he and Isobel walked across the village. "And I am Russian, so that ees saying somethink."

They had decided to stay the night in Talamaru as they had things to do there in the morning anyway. Sequoyah had told them that they could pick anywhere in the nearby jungle to settle. There was not enough room for Mikhailov to sleep in _Nyumbani_ , and it was best for Isobel to stay with him.

They nestled down between a low tree where there was some soft moss. They broad leaves of the tree had glowing blue stripes that gave off just enough light so they could see the outlines of what was around them. But they were not worried. Tonight, the jungle was quiet.

Mikhailov laid down, crossing his paws, and Isobel laid beside him, under his wing.

They were quiet, but Isobel's mind was busy,

"Mikhailov?" She said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you come all the way to New York?"

Mikhailov turned his head to face her. "Because that vas vhere you were, my lady. I followed vhat vas een my heart, to my Rider."

Isobel shifted to look at her Firebird. "But something happened in Russia. Khala Sequoyah told me that Firebirds and Riders go through hardships to reach each other. You know mine, but I do not know yours."

Mikhailov sighed, and his expression looked uncomfortable. "I vant there to be no secrets between us, Aysobel. But, you already know, thees ees not story vith happy ending."

Isobel nodded. "I understand. But I want to know. You and I are one and the same. Our stories are woven together, like tapestry."

Mikhailov straightened up a little, preparing to tell of his past. "Twenty years ago, een Russia, vhen I vas just a fawn, my brother and I had the rule of the tundra…"

 ** _…_** ** _Flashback…_**

A younger Mikhailov barreled through the snow, breathing hard and laughing and squealing as he chased a snow hare. His brother, Vasilyev, was in fast pursuit.

The brothers were a mere year apart, with Vasilyev being the eldest at eight.

They lived in a tight-knit community with about fifty other Firebirds, high up in Russia not too far from the Arctic Circle. Their father, a Russian, was a high ranking officer of the Aleutian Army, and their mother was also Russian, but more specifically, Yiddish.

Mikhailov and his brother, as well as all of the other young Firebirds, were able to spend their days running through the sparse forests and out on the snowy plains, chasing rabbits and scaring deer. They never had any worries, as the soldiers there would protect them. And not only that, but enemies never came there. They feared the weather too much. And Mikhailov's clan did not have much to steal anyways.

Mikhailov pounced onto the rabbit, effectively sinking his small talons into its body.

Vasilyev caught up, breathing hard as he looked down at his brother's catch.

"I caught us dinner, Vasilyev." Mikhailov said smugly. " _Pazhaluysta._ "

Vasilyev rolled his eyes. "Don't act so high and mighty, Mishko, I bet that rabbit vas old anyvay. A newborn could have caught that."

"Then vhy didn't you?" Mikhailov retorted back playfully.

The two brothers began walking back to their clan to proudly bestow their hunt to their mother.

They passed between elders speaking and young female Firebirds watching over their babies. They saw some of the soldiers were beginning to loosely gather, perhaps for aerial practice again.

Mikhailov and Vasilyev smiled in awe at the soldiers, who were are sturdily built and looked so tall and intimidating, their wings hulking and powerful. They hoped to be like them someday, and to join the Aleutian Army.

They soon reached their mother, who was standing in the archway of their igloo-like home.

" _Mamochka_ , look." Mikhailov set down his kill at his mother's feet.

Tzippora was petite for a Firebird, but she was strong and very beautiful. Her coat was pale and her eyes were true Russian blue, like the paint on China plates and dishes.

She looked down at the rabbit, which was surprisingly fat.

"Thank you, Mishko." She rubbed her beak tenderly on her son's head, ruffling his feathers. "The soldiers are training today, and your _Ta_ is leading them. You should vatch."

The brothers happily ran back out to where the soldiers trained in the open field just outside of the village.

They saw their father, with his dark coat and fierce golden eyes which Mikhailov had inherited, shouting out orders to his men in clear Russian.

" _Ta_ looks mad." Vasilyev whispered to Mikhailov, his blue eyes glistening.

" _Nyet,_ he ees alvays like that." Mikhailov shrugged. "Besides, he has to make sure they are listening to him."

After their father, Vadik, had finished his speech to his soldiers, he turned and sprinted shortly before ascending into the sky.

His men followed suit, and soon they were engaging in practice fights, locking talons together and trying to scrape at each other's underbellies, with their claws sheathed of course. They also practiced dive bombing and free falling, as well as the famous "bullet" move, which required them going full speed before tucking their wings in and spinning repeatedly, like a bullet.

The fawns watched with open beaks, wishing their own wings were strong enough to propel them through the air like that.

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Later on, when evening was approaching, the soldiers returned to the village, tired and ready to eat.

However, their rest was short lived.

An Imperial scout from the Kingdom of Aleutia, the holiest place for all Firebirds, entered the village, looking wild eyed.

He called out for Vadik, who was instantly at the scout's side.

"Vhat has happened?" He asked, concern in his eyes.

"The Westerners are planning on attacking from the south." The scout replied. "The smaller villages are at risk and low on troops. I have come to give you orders to depart immediately to help them. You will need all of your men. Your elders, women, and children will be safe as long as you keep the Westerners from coming in through the southern border."

Vadik nodded in understanding. "We vill need only a short time to pack. Vill you be travelling vith us?"

The scout shook his head. "I must go back to Aleutia to let the Tsar know you will help. Thank you."

Vadik saw him off and went about gathering his troops.

"Vadik?" Tzippora had heard everything as she approached her mate. "How long vill you be gone?"

Vadik shook his head. "Do not worry. The Westerners have tried this before. All vill be vell."

He and his troops were able to pack quickly, but he gave them extra time to say good-bye to their families, even though he was confident they would return within the week.

Vasilyev and Mikhailov looked up at their father and they clung to his front paws.

"Don't go now, _Ta_ , you promised to take us ice fishing." They pleaded with him.

"Ve are een Russian, you think the ice vill be gone vhen I get back?" Vadik joked.

His children giggled at him and he leaned down to ruffle their head feathers with his beak before saying good-bye to his wife.

Before long, the villagers left behind were calling out their final good byes to the departing soldiers, feeling confident that all of their men would return unharmed.

They went back to eating and taking time to relax as the sun began to go down. But their feathers began to ruffle with more than just the breeze.

Something was in the air, and the females could smell it, and the elders began to grow anxious.

"Stay een here." Tzippora took Vasilyev and Mikhailov back to their home and tucked them away in a corner.

The brothers were feeling frightened now, huddling together as their mother went back into the darkness.

They were in there for only a few minutes before they heard screams and clamor outside.

Vasilyev, as the older brother, stepped into the archway, prepared to fight.

He looked back at Mikhailov, who was wide eyed. He came back and hide Mikhailov underneath some furs and soot.

"Stay een here." He whispered. "I have to go find _mamochka._ "

Mikhailov did not protest, and he stayed stock still underneath the layers as his heart hammered away, listening to the horrors unfold outside.

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Down near the bottom of the mountain, where Vadik and his small army were, they could hear the screams that were being carried down by the wind.

They looked up sharply, stopping in their tracks.

"Eet vas a trap." Vadik said unbelievingly. "A trap! Everyone, go back-"

But before the orders could leave his beak, explosives rocked the mountain's side. Not in the village, but below it, where deep snow had been peacefully settled, until now.

Another round of explosives went off, and there was no time for the soldiers to react.

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Vasilyev ran through the chaos, terrified and frantically looking for his mother.

He saw unfamiliar Firebirds, clearly enemy soldiers, flying all around and setting fire to homes and the trees.

As mothers and their children fled from their burning homes, the enemy Firebirds swooped down, working in pairs. One would knock the mother off her feet, and the other would snatch her baby.

Vasilyev looked on in horror as this went on all around him.

Countless screaming hatchlings and fawns cried out for their mothers as they were lifted away into the sky.

He saw an elder male of his clan attempt to wrestle a fawn back, but he was feeble, and another enemy jumped onto his back and snapped his neck. Any mothers that attempted to rescue their children were killed as well.

Vasilyev was being blinded by his tears of fright. He needed to find his mother.

He spotted her, and she spotted him, and they ran towards each other.

But before they could reach the other, Vasilyev felt sharpened claws dig into his scruff, lifting him off of his paws and away from Tzippora.

"Vasilyev!" She screamed, but stayed put on the ground, although everything in her screamed as well to launch into the air. "Vasilyev!"

Vasilyev was paralyzed, his adrenaline overtaking him as he only watched his helpless mother getting farther and farther away from him.

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When the intruders finally had enough kidnapped fawns, they left with their prizes. The fawns would be used in their own armies, as trained assassins and soldiers.

Tzippora walked through the village, stunned and bleary eyed. Blood had turned the white snow red as the sunset, and she tried to drown out the heart wrenching sobs of the females who had lost one, two, or all of their fawns. She staggered in the bitter cold, and back into her home.

When at first she did not see Mikhailov, her heart dropped all over again, but she saw a pile of furs move in the corner, and her youngest scampered up to her, clearly frightened.

It was now she could let her tears flow as she collapsed onto the floor, letting Mikhailov nestle into her chest underneath her head.

"Mishko, Mishko." She said through her tears over and over again. "My only son, my only child."

And with those words, Mikhailov's tears began to come as well. His brother was gone.

 **This chapter was much darker, hopefully not too dark. But, this is Mikhailov's story, and so now you know. Any questions, please feel free to ask, and please review!**


	30. The Swordsman

Chapter 30: The Swordsman

Mikhailov had watched as Isobel's face fell from a smile to a look of horror and then sympathy.

"That was the last time you saw Vasilyev?" She asked softly.

Mikhailov nodded, and he looked away for a moment. He did not want Isobel to see him wipe away a tear. "My mother vas never the same. She lost her virst born and her husband een one night. I vas taken een by another female in the village. Her son, Ruslan, vas my best friend. He had survived the attack, and ve are the same age. He and his mother are still okay even now, but his father never returned vrom the mountainside. My mother…One day, she leave. Into the forest, never lookink back. Her heart vas too broken. I do not know vhat happen."

Isobel sighed. She felt Mikhailov's pain deep in her chest, throbbing and making her hands and feet ache. "I am sorry. Were you angry with her for leaving?"

Mikhailov looked down, and his beak parted. "No. I knew the pain of losing my brother and father, but that ees different vrom vhat she felt. I cannot blame her."

Isobel snuggled closer to her Firebird, reminding him that she was there now. "I hope you can see Ruslan again."

Mikhailov smiled slightly. "That vould be nice. You vould like him, he ees very funny. But, I think I would like to sleep now."

Isobel nodded, laying her head back down. "Goodnight, Mik."

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Village life resumed early in the morning, and Isobel was surprised to see that she and Mikhailov were the last to awaken.

Tira had come and tapped on Isobel's shoulder. "Hey, wake up, chica, your _tia_ is looking for you."

Isobel sat up, and looked around herself. The bioluminescence of the night had faded, and was replaced with bright sunlight.

Tira picked up a jug from her anklet-clad feet and set it on top of her head. "We're going down to the river to collect water. I mean, not you today, your aunt has stuff planned for you."

Isobel nodded. "Of course. I'll be happy to help later on."

Tira gave her a funny look. "You don't think that's weird that the royals here do village work too? I thought you lived in luxury in Atlantis."

"I did." Isobel admitted. "But I never understood having others do everything. This is my home too, why should I not help?"

Tira shrugged and nodded. "True. I'll see you later."

Isobel gave her goodbyes to Mikhailov, and went off in search of Sequoyah.

She found her beneath some shade trees not far from where Ajihad's and Sequoyah's thrones were.

Sequoyah smiled at her as Isobel walked closer. "Good morning. Are you ready?"

Isobel saw that she had been grinding powders and mixing them with liquids. There were sharpened thorns from Acacia trees, and two thorns in particular that she remembered. They were the thorns of the Shurnäg tree, whose sap contained numbing properties.

Isobel sat in front of her aunt. She had seen tattoos being given in Atlantis, but they had equipment that was more modern, and less painful.

Sequoyah's instruments were what had been used for centuries.

"This is not henna." Her aunt reminded her. "It won't stain your fur for a couple of weeks. I have to make air pockets underneath of your skin, and inject the dye this way. When it heals, it will be permanent."

So it would be painful.

Isobel took a deep breath, and displayed the underside of her left wrist to her aunt. "I'm ready."

It was an arduous task, and Isobel could not stop her reflexes when she involuntarily ripped her hand away from Sequoyah's gentle hold. But Sequoyah was patient, and knew it was painful. She had already injected the Shurnäg thorns into the skin around Isobel's wrist. Anymore and it could paralyze her.

Isobel did not watch while Sequoyah deftly carved into her arm, but when she said that was finished and it was time to add the dye, Isobel decided to look.

Sequoya rolled up the ink into leaf cone, and squirted it into the tattoo.

Isobel's eyebrows lifted as Sequoyah's design came to life. Each outline of every leaf and petal came to life on the lotus on Isobel's wrist.

She examined it closely, and noted that the pain had subdued into a stinging sensation.

"You bear the mark of a Rider now." Sequoyah said proudly. "Do you like it?"

Isobel nodded. "Yes. Thank you, _khala_."

After a few moments, Sequoyah exhaled and stood up. "The swordsman I told you of is waiting for you near the Seashell Trees."

At first, Isobel felt wary. The Seashell Trees was where she had been approached by Clopar. But she knew he was not an expert swordsman, and Sequoyah would only recommend the best.

She decided it would be fine, and so she walked off to the small clearing where the Seashell Trees were. They were stretched higher than before, gathering all of the light they could from the sun.

But she did not let herself get distracted this time, and she wandered in between the trees, looking for whoever she was supposed to meet.

"Isobel?"

Isobel turned to the familiar voice, and had to resist rolling her eyes when she saw who it was.

"Topaz?" She asked as she approached him. "You're the swordsman?"

A small, even shy, smile touched Topaz's lips as he stepped a little closer. "That would be me."

Isobel raised an eyebrow and looked at him. He had two swords in his left hand. But it wasn't that that unsettled her. Aside from him simply being there, today, he seemed…Polite.

But he had been that way when they first met, and she would not let that fool her.

"Are you going to show me what you know or keep standing there?" Isobel placed her hands on her hips.

But Topaz only chuckled as he walked past her. "Come on, Isobel, we'll have our first lesson on the beach."

Isobel however, did not move, and only watched as Topaz began walking in the wrong direction.

He noticed his mistake, and turned back to her, an embarrassed smile on his face. "The beach is that way, isn't it?" he pointed in the right direction.

Isobel smirked and let her arms down. This was the swordsman her aunt wanted her to learn from?

"You and Julien truly are brothers." She said as she swished past him, knowing that would make him mad.

Topaz frowned as he followed her.

Isobel was not afraid to be alone with Topaz. He was not crazy like Clopar, and she felt confident that they could have a fair fight.

The expanse of Talamaru's beach was its own thing. It had no connection with the rest of the world, and as far as they knew, its horizon stretched on into heaven. The waters were different in many ways, and they were not shark infested like the ocean beside the Valley of a Thousand Splendid Suns was.

Isobel breathed in the salty air as a breeze made her hoops sway.

Topaz stuck his sword in the sand, and brought the other over to Isobel.

"Shall we begin?" He asked as he removed his sword from the sand.

Isobel examined the sword he had given her. It was meant for dueling, as it was double edge, and slender, and appeared to be razor sharp. The pommel was not particularly grand, but the hand guard was twisted metal. And it did not matter how the sword looked, as it was only for practice.

"It's lovely." Isobel told him. "But it is too heavy for using in aerial combat."

"Well we're not fighting on the backs of Firebirds, are we?" Topaz raised an eyebrow at her. "You're staying on the ground for now. Are you ready?"

Isobel nodded, and they approached each other. Once they were a sword's length away, they circled each other, the tips of their swords scraping each other.

"Crafted footwork is needed," Topaz said evenly, Isobel's eyes blazing into him, "To parry my blows."

With that, he raised his sword and swung it towards Isobel's left side. But she sidestepped and swung her sword up as well, making contact with his. The clank of metal filled the air around them.

"You know more than I thought." Topaz smiled slightly. "Who taught you this?"

Isobel did not let her eyes leave his. "A pirate."

She attacked this time, swinging her sword low to nick his ankle, but he was quick, and thrust her sword back up with his own sword.

He lunged out again, and Isobel flipped her sword so the broad side of it struck the razor edge of Topaz's sword.

Topaz simply turned his sword to the broad side as well, and pushed against Isobel, trying to make her lose her balance. But she pushed back again. Topaz knew he was stronger than she, and this lesson was about teaching her footwork, and so he sidestepped into a semicircle, leading her around, as though in a dance.

They continued parrying each other's blows and side stepping, and, strangely, keeping eye contact. Every now and then, Isobel's eyes broke away to watch Topaz's footwork and their clashing swords, but Topaz continued to look at her.

Each time Isobel thought Topaz was weakening, she struck out, but he returned stronger, always one step ahead of her. But he pushed back harder than he had meant to on one parry, and Isobel lost her footing. He reached out with his free hand, their swords still connected, and caught her by the small of her back.

Isobel found her footing right away after that, but Topaz did not immediately let her go.

Isobel saw in his eyes a mix of surprise and something that told her she could trust him. She did not step away from him as she should have.

But a moment later, Topaz cleared his throat and let her go, taking a step back. He let the tip of his sword sink into the sand as he place both paws on the pommel.

"Sorry." He said quietly, and then added, "You did well today."

Isobel held her sword in the same way, and looked at him bemusedly. "Thank you."

Topaz decided that had trained enough for the day, and they began to walk up the shore and back to the jungle.

Topaz didn't speak, which didn't surprise Isobel.

"You've always been unbearably serious." She told him.

"Sorry." Topaz said seriously.

That made Isobel laugh, and Topaz smiled at her. He was gaining her trust.

"How did you get here, Topaz?" Isobel asked him, more light-heartedly than she had before.

Topaz looked indifferent, but just as he opened his mouth, a ferocious roar echoed through the jungle.

 **Thank you everyone once again for your reviews, favorites, follows, etc.!**


	31. Unscathed

Chapter 31: Unscathed

Isobel leapt over raised tree roots and pushed branches out of her face as she ran back to the village, Topaz in close pursuit.

She knew the roar as soon as she had heard it: Trorix.

It sounded angry, and she hoped it had not wandered into the village.

She came across Ajihad, Sequoyah, Mikhailov, and most of the other villagers standing at the base of Nyumbani. Ajihad had his back to the people, and he held a bow and a few arrows in his hand. The long feathers of his headdress seemed to pulse with his anxiety as he watched the Trorix with wide eyes.

The Trorix was just outside of the village, uprooting small trees and clawing at the ground with its powerful forearms as it growled ferociously.

"What happened?" Isobel switched to Ta'li when she spoke to her uncle.

"I do not know." Ajihad shook his head as he signaled over a few warriors. "He wandered here from the inner forest. Some of the women are still down by the river, and we're trying to keep him from going there."

When the warriors came over, Ajihad began advising them on how to drive the Trorix back into the jungle. It would be very dangerous, especially with his Trorix.

He was a young male in his prime, and his leathery skin rippled with muscle. He was like a big tiger, but with a longer snout and a much deadlier, venomous bite.

But as Ajihad spoke to his warriors, Isobel stared at the distraught Trorix. She knew something was off. He was not here to harm, as they never did unless provoked.

She stepped into the main clearing of the village, and at first Ajihad did not notice.

When he did, he furrowed his brow. "Isobel!" He whisper-hissed.

"Shh." Sequoyah put a hand on his chest. "She has the gift."

Isobel was getting closer to the Trorix, and she could already see that he was larger than Mikhailov, lengthwise at least. She walked with precise steps and tried to keep her breathing measured.

The Trorix turned to face her, and flashed his fangs as he growled.

Mikhailov stamped his feet in frustration that he could not intervene.

The Trorix's eyes were green like the forest instead of bright, and they bore menacingly into Isobel's.

But she held her ground, and exhaled. "What has happened?" She asked in Ta'li.

The Trorix stopped growling, but his scowl did not go away. "I am wounded. I cannot hunt with this pain in my maw. Look inside."

Isobel nodded. "I will."

She knew the trickery that Trorix possessed, but she decided to go against what she had been taught as she cautiously approached him.

The Trorix opened his mouth, revealing each sharpened tooth and venomous fangs.

The people still back at Nyumbani were agitated, praying that their princess would not be injured or worse. Topaz was watching in fascination.

Isobel looked around the Trorix's mouth, careful not to get to close. Soon enough, she found the root of his pain; a rotten tooth.

Slowly, she reached in. She had a firm hold on the tooth, and the Trorix was already beginning to snarl from the pressure. Before the Trorix decided to snap her arm off, she yanked the tooth, and the moment her hand was free, the Trorix snapped his jaw shut and shook his head furiously.

Isobel tossed the rotten tooth away, and the Trorix looked at her.

"What is your name?" She asked him.

"Shaton." The Trorix said, raising his head up.

Isobel gave him a small smile. "Why? I do not think you are like a devil."

Shaton shrugged. "My mother gave me no name. I heard the villagers call us Trorix 'shatons', devils."

Isobel nodded, knowing well that she had heard that name bounce around a few times before.

"Thank you." Shaton's voice was deep. "I will remember this. _Salaam_."

He turned away, and walked back into the inner jungle. Trorix are very reserved creatures and so it did not surprise Isobel that he had left abruptly.

When he was gone, Isobel turned back to the villagers.

They were quietly looking at her with fascination while some of the elders gathered around Ajihad, speaking to him as they glanced at Isobel.

Mikhailov wasted no time in joining Isobel where she stood.

Sequoyah stepped down as well, and walked pointedly towards her niece. She had a worried look etched onto her face. But she took Isobel's paws, turning them over and looking at them.

Isobel did not know what was going on, and it began to worry her.

"Your hands." Sequoyah said softly, her brow furrowed. "They are not burned."

Isobel looked at her questioningly. "Burned? I did not touch his fangs, only-"

"Everything about them is poisonous." Sequoyah said a little more sharply than she intended. She sighed and looked at Isobel, her face and voice softening. "Trorix are poisonous. Their skin, their saliva, their teeth…They are toxic, Isobel. This is why we must stay so far away from them, not just because of their violent nature."

Isobel's eyes were wide. "I did not know. I thought it was only their bite. But I am fine, it did not hurt."

"Come." Sequoyah led Isobel back to the elders.

The elders ceased talking and watched as Isobel approached them, her unharmed hands spread before her.

"I do not understand, sheikh." One of the elders rubbed his chin, looking between Ajihad and Isobel. "It should have burned her. But she is unscathed. Unless… Open your mouth."

"What?" Isobel was getting a little nervous now. She wished someone would just explain to her what the problem was.

But Ajihad nodded at her, and so she reluctantly tilted her head back and opened her mouth.

There was an audible gasp from the elders as they leapt back.

Isobel closed her mouth and looked at all of them. "Is it my fangs? Tell me what is going on."

The elder that had first spoken cleared his throat. "In each nation, only one lemur per generation is granted the fangs and shape-shifting. It means you are a creator…Or destroyer."

"And clearly you are not a destroyer." Ajihad swiftly cut in before further accusations were made about Isobel. "Do not be worried by these superstitious old men."

The elders frowned at him and he gave them the same look back.

"It is pre-determined fate." Ajihad continued. "But you will be alright. The Ta'li have been at peace since the night of sorrow. And you did not get burned by the Trorix because of your own venom. You are safe from the poisons here; what better trait for a royal?"

Isobel breathed out, taking in yet more information. She was grateful that Khal Ajihad was so helpful.

"And I have decided that it will be permissible for you to bring your guests as soon as you like." Ajihad was speaking to Isobel, but said it loud enough for everyone to hear.

Isobel smiled at this. She had missed her friends greatly.

But one of the elders spoke up, "You will regret this, Ajihad. You make mistake after mistake. Do not be the weak link."

Ajihad's ears flattened, clearly hurt, but he continued to smile a little as he looked back at Isobel.

"Please bring them," he said more quietly, "We need more culture in this ancient abode."

Isobel nodded, and she, Sequoyah, Mikhailov, and Ajihad began to converse as the elders walked away in disgust and the villagers went on with their work now that the danger was gone.

No one had noticed that Topaz slipped away the moment the elders revealed Isobel's trait.

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Isobel and Mikhailov were making their way back to Madagascar for the evening, as they would stay there for tonight.

"So, my Rider ees creator and destroyer, like Greek goddess, yes?" Mikhailov chuckled, never being one for superstitions.

Isobel smirked at him. "You heard sheikh Ajihad. It is nothing, merely old prophecies."

She absentmindedly played with the string of her bow as it dug into her fur. She removed it and her quiver, looking around for where she could hide it. She decided on the hollow of a tree, as she knew no one would take it. Still, she hid it out of sight as best she could.

They came across the small lemur village, and noticed that it looked like everyone was preparing for the evening meal.

Isobel paused to watch all of this before someone saw her. It looked so peaceful. They had no worries, no issues with hierarchy, nothing against outsiders.

She sighed, and scanned the clearing for Julien. She found him speaking animatedly with Skipper, who had his flippers crossed. They weren't arguing, it just looked like an intense conversation.

Isobel smiled slightly. She saw Private picking flowers and Kowalski jotting down notes, while Rico entertained a few young lemurs with his rock juggling act.

She began to step down into the clearing to approach Julien and Skipper.

Julien noticed her first, and stopped mid-sentence to smile.

"Isobel!" He exclaimed happily.

Skipper turned as well, his brow low like usual. But a hint of a smile crossed his beak.

Isobel came up to Julien and accepted his hug.

He had missed her, and she smelled of jasmine from the Talisman Jungle and also like the ocean.

She moved away a little bit so she could see his face, but held onto his arms. She smiled as she said, "We are going to Talamaru tomorrow."

 **Short chapter, but yay, now our favorite zoosters get to visit Talamaru! Also, random side note, have any of you seen The Pebble and the Penguin? :p I saw it when I was little and I only remember a little of it.**


	32. A Copper Orb & A Pearl

Chapter 32: A Copper Orb & A Pearl

The excitement of the idea of going to Talamaru kept everyone talkative throughout the evening. Everyone asked Isobel questions and wanted to know what had changed the sheikh's mind so quickly.

Isobel told them about Shaton and about her immunity to its poison/venom. But she did not tell them what the elders had said, as it would only worry them.

Night approached quickly, and the penguins parted ways with the lemurs to go back to their helicopter.

"Come on," Julien began to take Isobel into the jungle, "I am having something to show you!"

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Placing his tricorn hat on, Jack snuffed out the candle in his stateroom. Night had come, and the stars burned a heavenly fire.

Jack silently closed the door behind himself, and stealthily slid down one of the ship's mooring lines. He landed in the sand, and began walking towards the Charley Oscar.

His sword clanked softly at his side, and he had a metallic ball in his left hand.

Jack slunk into the Charley as silently as the wind flips wisps of hair. He saw that Skipper was nearly asleep in the pilot's chair, but he had not woken up at Jack's entrance.

Jack jumped up onto the chair. "The sphere is a map."

"Holy mother of MacArthur's third cousin!" Skipper's eyes flew open and he nearly fell out of the chair. He saw that it was only Jack, and he hissed at him, "How did you get in here? I dead bolted the door."

Jack pulled a bobby pin out from under his hat and raised an eyebrow. "If he's not careful, I'll pick Davy Jones' locker and invite myself in for a cup of tea."

"Wh – never mind." Skipper rolled his eyes. "What're you talking about, a map?"

Jack nodded and held up the copper sphere. "It opens up into a map. Look, come outside, I'll show you."

Skipper sighed. "This better be worth waking me up over."

The penguin and the lemur stepped out onto the sand. They had managed to not wake anyone else up, but they closed the door again just in case.

Skipper had his flippers on his hips. "So what's it a map of?"

Jack was already pushing buttons on the sphere and twisting it this way and that, like a Rubik's cube. Suddenly, it opened and unleashed what appeared to be a 3-D map of the universe, and it spanned across the sand and encircled the two adventurers.

Skipper looked on in awe. "Kowalski would love this."

Jack set the sphere in the sand and pressed the Milky Way Galaxy, and then Earth, and all the way down to their specific spot in Madagascar.

"Now watch." Jack said as he flipped through the geography that had already been mapped out. "What does this map have that others do not?"

Skipper watched as Jack clicked on a specific spot in the jungle, and he raised his eyebrows.

"Talamaru. It's not on any maps."

"Exactly." Jack smiled.

Skipper was impressed. "Where did you get this?"

"Not important. You know, trades here and there." Jack quickly changed the subject. "This map shows all the fabled place of the known universe."

"I could tell." Skipper nodded. "It showed Pluto."

"Well, it's a planet." Jack pointed out.

"Not anymore." Skipper corrected him. "It' orbit is off by eight years, or whatever Kowalski said."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, yes, this map can lead us around Talamaru, should Isobel not be present."

"I see what you mean." Skipper rubbed his chin.

Jack picked up the orb and pressed the top of it. The map flew back into it.

Skipper yawned. "Listen, I've got to go back and get some sleep. Isobel is taking us to Talamaru tomorrow."

"Is she?" Jack's eyes brightened. "I'll be sure to come. But I need to get back on the ship. My crew is playing liar's dice below deck and I need to make sure they aren't trading their souls. Irishmen, you know."

He laughed at his private joke and then bid Skipper a goodnight before going back down the shore.

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"Are they closed?" Julien asked Isobel.

Isobel had closed her eyes at Julien's request. He was taking her somewhere and would not say where. Mikhailov had been grumpy at first about Isobel and Julien leaving, as he was continually very protective of her with any man. "Yes."

As they walked on, she could hear water flowing.

"Okay, now, open them!" Julien instructed excitedly.

Isobel opened her green eyes, and was enchanted by the spectacle before her. A warm waterfall cascaded down into its deposit, which was a tiny lake surrounded by different fruit and flower trees. The moonlight seeping through the jungle canopy created a luminescent glow, which gave off enough light to see clear enough.

"It is beautiful here." Isobel said as she stared at the magical spot.

Julien looked to her, and then the lake. "But it is not for staring, it is for swimming!"

With that, he set his crown on a rock and then jumped into the lake, spraying Isobel with water droplets.

She laughed and sat down by the water's edge, waiting for Julien to resurface.

He popped up close to her, and pulled her into the water.

When they came up, Julien was grinning, but Isobel was glaring at him. As soon as his grin vanished, she broke out into a witty smile, and playfully pushed him back under the surface.

She gracefully dove under the surface and swam to the bottom, her eyes wide open. She turned over quite a few rocks until she found what she was looking for. She cupped it in her hands and swam back up the surface, where Julien was waiting.

"Clam!" Julien said when he saw what Isobel had. "Do you know how disgusting clam juice is?"

Isobel shook her head. "It's a freshwater oyster."

"Oh yeah, those things." Julien said, a little embarrassed.

Isobel slipped one of her claws in between the oyster's shell halves, and she was able to pry it open. It revealed a beautiful, ivory pearl.

Isobel plucked the tiny pearl from the soft flesh of the oyster, which she released back into the water.

"Wow!" Julien looked closely at it. "I didn't even know we had those. I could've been decked out like the Queen of England and no one told me."

Isobel smiled and handed the pearl to him. "Here, I want you to have it. You can make something with it."

Julien rolled it around in his palm. He wasn't sure what he would do with it, but he could ask Maurice and they would figure it out.

Soon, Isobel and Julien climbed out of the water and sat near the edge, drying their fur and talking.

"In less than two weeks, the Celebration of Beginnings will happen in Talamaru." Isobel began to explain.

"What exactly is that?" Julien asked.

"It's the start of the Ta'li New Year." Isobel said. "It's a celebration that lasts nearly a week. Two of the biggest days are the Day of Constellations and the Night of Fire."

Julien nodded. "It sounds fantastic, like one big party! So what else happens throughout the week?"

Isobel gave him a small smile. "The Seven Days of Courtship."

"Ooohh." Julien smiled and flicked an eyebrow up. "Now _that_ should be interesting."

Isobel laughed. "Oh yes, Mikhailov is going to _love_ that."


	33. Katia Sinclair

Chapter 33: Katia Sinclair

The morning sun rose over the ocean's horizon, shining brightly over the entire continent of Africa. Birds of all kinds stretched their wings up, harnessing the warmth of the sun to ease their stiff joints from the night.

Isobel opened her eyes and saw Mikhailov turning over onto his legs to stand up.

He stretched his wings and opened his maw, letting out a yawn that sounded like a big, deep screech.

It awakened many of Julien's people, who laid back down grumpily when they realized it was just Mikhailov. They were not early birds at all.

"We are leaving soon. You should hunt." Isobel told Mikhailov sleepily as she sat up. She finally looked at Mikhailov and noticed right away that something was different. Her eyes widened. "Mikhailov?

" _Da_?"

The four stubby horns that had once adorned Mikhailov's head had changed. The top two had blossomed into beautiful, compact antlers, just like a deer's. They were still covered in velvet that Mikhailov would need to rub off. The lower two were like slender spikes now.

Mikhailov tried looking up with his eyes to see what Isobel was staring at, and he was able to see the ends of his antlers. He looked annoyed. "Oh, _da_ , eet ees that time of year again. They vall off in a couple of weeks."

Isobel smiled at him. "Don't you want to attract someone?"

Mikhailov huffed. "There are no lady Virebirds here. Besides, I hev alvays been too busy vor a doe. Maybe someday, Lady Aysobel."

He walked off in search of a good tree to rub his antlers on. Firebirds had similar courting habits to deer, except the males grew antlers in spring instead of fall. The antlers usually lasted a few weeks, but Mikhailov had never needed to use them for dueling any rival stags.

Isobel woke up Julien, and he got up quickly, remembering that they were going to Talamaru for the first time.

Soon, the penguins arrived. Kowalski was carrying his notepad and a pen, and Private held a basket full of Malagasy fruits.

"I thought we could bring a present to the king." He told Isobel. "Do you think this is good?"

Isobel nodded. "It's perfect. Where is Jack?"

"Still on the ship, as far as I know." Skipper gestured back to the shore.

Isobel began to walk down to the beach when Mikhailov came back. Everyone noticed his antlers right away.

Kowalski flipped back a few pages and wrote that down. He wanted to pepper Mikhailov with questions, but Isobel led him down the beach.

She climbed atop Mikhailov back, and they made their way to the _Conquistadora._

Paolo, the Italian cabin boy, had been passing along the deck, keeping watch. He spotted Isobel and Mikhailov coming their way, and he ran into the midst of the crew.

Mikhailov crouched down as they neared the ship, and he flapped his wings until they were up on the ship.

They walked over to Jack's state room, earning several stares from the crew.

Jack opened up the door, adjusting his tricorn hat. He looked up at Mikhailov and then his sister. "Yes, I'm coming."

Isobel held out her paw. "Come up."

Jack looked warily at Mikhailov and then smiled. "No, I like my spine intact, thank you."

Isobel didn't care and she reached down to grab her brother's paw, and before he could protest, Mikhailov had already turned heel and was running down the deck.

Jack screamed as Mikhailov jumped over the railing and caught the wind beneath his wings.

Mikhailov chuckled at the captain a little and flew in loops a couple of times for fun.

They were back with the group in no time.

Even after Mikhailov had stopped, Jack was still holding on tightly to Isobel, his teeth chattering.

Isobel laughed. "Jack, we're on land now. Not even moving."

"What? Oh, right." Jack slid off of Mikhailov, and adjusted his hat, back to his usual self.

Skipper raised an eyebrow. "So that's why you were hating on the Charley. You're afraid of flying, Jack."

"I prefer sea or land." Jack replied back. "Much more natural."

"Lemur on a ship. Natural, right." Skipper shook his head and laughed.

The group went on their way through the jungle, and they came upon the jasmine vine-clad tunnel that would lead them into Talamaru.

Isobel dismounted Mikhailov, and carefully pushed the vines out of her way.

She took the lead once they were out the other side, and she glanced around warily.

Skipper sensed her alertness, and straightened up. "Look alive, men. Anything could be lurking out there."

Jack silently tapped the hilt of the sword at his side, eyes flickering to one side of the jungle to the next.

"Never let anything avert your eyes." Skipper reminded them all.

They did, however, miss one person in their line of sight.

Isobel looked up into the trees, where Tira was waiting, camouflaged. Tira blinked at her, and Isobel inclined her head towards her group.

Tira smiled excitedly and retreated back into the trees. She would no doubt beat them to the village to let everyone know that they had arrived.

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As they neared the village, Isobel gave them all pointers about how to address the sheikh. It would be different than Atlantis.

"He will always address you first," she said, "So make sure you always reply. You only need to call him sheikh, and he will say when to call him otherwise."

They nodded, and Isobel turned back around, satisfied that this would go well.

They stepped into the filtered-light that the canopy above the village allowed.

Isobel and Mikhailov went to greet the sheikh and Sequoyah first.

Ajihad embraced her, and when he let go, he saw the others standing dumb-founded in the middle of the village, waiting for him to acknowledge them. "These are your guests?"

Isobel nodded. "They are anxious to meet you."

Ajihad nodded as well, and Isobel and Mikhailov stepped behind him and his wife.

The sheikh stood tall and proud as he looked at the new arrivals, who weren't sure what to do as they stood in the crowd of Ta'li people.

Isobel watched as they approached Ajihad after he had called them up. Her eyes then scanned the rest of the crowd. She saw Tira and Aneza up front with their families.

Topaz was in the middle of the crowd, and there was a woman with him, who occasionally whispered in his ear. His facial expressions did not vary much, so Isobel was unsure of what they spoke of. She noticed that the woman, who was no more than two years older than herself, had sapphire eyes. This struck her as odd, as Ta'li did not have blue eyes.

But she looked back to her group of friends as they greeted her uncle.

Ajihad was tall, and he could have an intimadting aura that was common for a Ta'li sheikh, which made him seem even taller, like a towering statue.

The feathers on his crown spanned out far, showing all that his rank was the highest in the village.

He showed an interest in Skipper first. "What is your name?"

Skipper was surprised at the sheikh's clear English, although his accent was different than the Atlantean king's had been. "Skipper, sir. These three are part of my team."

Ajihad's expression changed. "Team?"

Skipper nodded once, swallowing. He didn't want to make the sheikh wary. "Yes, sir. We are an elite penguin force."

Ajihad straightened up a little, and nodded. "Like warriors?"

Skipper nodded, relieved. "Exactly."

Ajihad nodded his approval, and then moved on to Jack. He glanced at his sword. "You are a swordsman?"

"And a captain." Jack told him. "At your service."

A smile twitched at the corners of Ajihad's lips. He liked Jack right away, but he still needed to greet Julien.

But he was quiet when he noticed Julien's crown.

Isobel's eyes widened, as she had completely forgot about Julien's crown. She hoped Ajihad would not take offense, as kings were always specifically invited, as it was rude to show up unannounced.

But to everyone's relief, Ajihad smiled at Julien, who he could see eye to eye with. "A fellow king."

Sequoyah and Isobel sighed in relief.

Julien smiled. "Yes, and from a place that wants only peace, you see."

Ajihad reached out to place a hand on Julien's shoulder. "It is wise for you to want to keep relations with us good."

He stepped between his guests to acknowledge his people. "Talamaru, I give to you four penguins, an Englishman, and a Malagasy king! We will celebrate them through a second feast and through entertainment."

Right away, the crowd broke up to begin preparing.

Julien came up to Isobel while Ajihad wanted to know more about what Jack and the penguins did.

"I did not know you guys had parties!" Julien said to Isobel.

Isobel smiled. "Of course we do. They're just a little different."

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By noon, the village was filled with the scents of many kinds of foods, and the sounds of traditional music.

"Isobel, what even is this?" Skipper asked as he picked up a kabob with cubes of different colored fish meats on it.

Before Isobel could answer, Tira came alone and popped it into his beak.

"Try it, it's better than any fish you ever ate." Her Spanish accent was clear now that she was speaking English.

Private and Kowalski were having fun sampling all the different kinds of sweets. Private's fruit basket had been displayed along with the desserts. Rico was stuffing himself with oysters and mussels.

Mikhailov was amazed and grateful that Russian food had been prepared for him.

"Salted kippers!" he said joyously. "And _blini_! There ees even _kutia._ "

"We make food for our guests that is native to their homelands so they have enough to eat." Isobel explained to Skipper. "Except for you, you'll have to pick a country."

Isobel then noticed that there was display of French food, and she lowered her brow.

"Aneza," she asked her friend, "Who here is French?"

"Oh, she just arrived last night, she-" Aneza was cut off.

The tree canopy above them shook a little, and then a female Firebird descended down from the branches.

Her pelt was golden, like a lion's, and her wings were multi-colored; tan, black, and white. Her eyes were violet, and she had two silver hoops running through her ears that had small amethysts dangling from them. She was smaller than Mikhailov, and very pretty for a Firebird.

"Zorry I am zo late." She said to no one in particular, her French accent audible.

Mikhailov was staring at her, half of a kipper dangling from his beak.

The female gave him a strange look, and then went to get some food for herself.

"Hello, Katia." Aneza spoke up, and Katia greeted her back.

"My name ees Mikhailov." Mikhailov introduced himself after swallowing the kipper. "Lady Aysobel's Virebird."

Katia snorted. "A Russian."

Now Mikhailov lowered his eyebrows. "Vhat ees that supposed to mean."

"Leave them alone, Katia, they're our guests." Aneza said.

Katia turned around to glare at Aneza, but then Isobel caught her eye.

She looked at the lemur, as if she were assessing her. She sifted the earth under her razor sharp talons, and then took off.

"Well she was rude." Private piped up after Katia was gone.

Skipper shook his head. "Crazy dame."

Aneza sighed. "That's Katia Sinclair. I don't know why she's like that. She is the only Firebird that came to us this year, the first in a long time. Maybe she got separated from her flock. She won't tell us anything."

Isobel nodded in understanding. "We'll know eventually."

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Several hours later, the party for the new arrivals was still going strong.

Isobel was still meeting new people and answering so many questions about the world outside of Talamaru. She occasionally came across her friends as they mingled with her people.

Kowalski was discussing magnetism with the village astronomers. Private was hosting a crafting table for the little ones, and it looked like they were making bead necklaces. Rico was entertaining people by showing off his regurgitation tricks.

Mikhailov was near Private, and it was clear that he was also very good with children. He let them swing on his antlers while he told them folk tales of Russian tsars, maidens, and monsters.

Julien had been with Isobel as she greeted people, and soon Tira approached her, smiling.

"So," she said, hands on her hips, "This is the guy who we can't tell sheikh about yet. Mind if I show him around?"

Isobel smiled, knowing Julien would have fun with Tira. "Take him anywhere."

Tira happily obliged and began towing Julien around through the crowd.

"Now don't be nervous." Tira assured him. "Just smile, be talkative, and you'll do great!"

Soon enough, they approached Tira's female relatives, who were instantly happy to see Julien, as they already knew all about him via Tira.

They fawned over him and asked all sorts of questions, wanting to know about their princess' someday potential husband.

After about an hour of Julien telling jokes and the women laughing it up, Tira decided it was time to go back.

"Aw, really, Tira, you never let us have anyone over!" One of her cousins whined.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be around plenty." Julien assured them.

They all waved and shouted goodbye as Julien walked away, feeling a little full of himself.

"That was easy, Tira!" he exclaimed.

Tira rolled her eyes. "Psh, obviously. But you think it's them you gotta impress? You better start brushing up on impressing the sheikh."

Julien's smile vanished. "I was not even thinking about that. How in the hecks am I supposed to do that?"

Tira shrugged, folding her arms. "Beats me. Learn soon though, the Celebration of New Beginnings is coming up."

 **This chapter is longer, but I kept you waiting a while, so I thought, why not? Please remember to review!**


	34. A Possible Plan

Chapter 34: A Possible Plan

Later on, into the night, when the party was calming down and people were beginning to clean up and go to sleep, Isobel met up with Tira and Aneza.

"How did it go?" She asked.

Tira smiled, knowing that she was talking about Julien. "My family loved him! You better watch out, someone is gonna snatch him up."

Aneza playfully shoved her. "Don't listen to her, he only has eyes for you."

"Maybe so." Isobel smiled as well. But her mind drifted to a newcomer she had seen earlier in the day. "Who is the woman with Topaz?"

Tira and Aneza exchanged looks, and Isobel could already this woman was not well liked.

Tira rolled her eyes back over to Isobel. "Her _nombre_ is Chimera. She showed up at the same time as Topaz."

Isobel tilted her head a little. Why were there so many newcomers? Clopar, Topaz, Katia, now this Chimera…

It was too suspicious for Isobel.

"Have you heard of anyone called Clopar?"

The two girls nodded, and Aneza said, "He's reclusive, I see Topaz and Chimera with him sometimes."

Isobel's expression changed. That made her feel ill.

 _What is he planning?_ She thought to herself.  
Tira noticed Isobel's expression. "You okay, _chica_?"

Isobel flicked her gaze back to Tira. "Yes. I have to go now."

She went off in search of her group. Ajihad and Sequoyah had told them that they were more than welcome to sleep in the village for the night.

The penguins had chosen a low tree with a good "nest" between the branches. It was plenty of room for them, and Jack even took up shelter in the branches above them. He was sleeping already.

Skipper tossed and turned a few times. He had had fun, and Talamaru was better than he expected.

As he rolled onto his back, he noticed how some of the moss on the tree glowed in the dark.

He raised his eyebrows a little, and looked over to see if Kowalski was still awake.

But the scientist was fast asleep. Skipper decided he could tell him about it in the morning.

Skipper tapped the ends of his flippers on his belly. He was thinking about the Heart of the Earth.

He wondered how close it could be. He would have to consult the papers Alistair had given him again.

This was a mission that he wanted to just get over with, because then he could stop worrying about it.

"Skipper?" Isobel had climbed up their tree and was sitting at the edge of their nest.

"Oh, hey." Skipper said quietly as he sat up. "Mikhailov and Ringtail are over there somewhere."

Isobel nodded. "Thanks. Was Talamaru what you had hoped for?"

"It's great here." Skipper told her. "The sheikh is a nicer guy than I expected, and the boys like it here too. I can see why you missed it so much."

Isobel smiled a little, but then she looked down. "Clopar might be planning something."

"What?" Skipper furrowed his brow and scooted closer to Isobel. "What makes you say that?"

"Tira and Aneza have seen Topaz and Clopar together." Isobel explained, keeping her voice low. "It could be nothing. They are both outsiders, and-"

Skipper raised his eyebrows now. "Well you and I both know Clopar doesn't chat, doll face. I'll keep a sharp eye out, and stay away from him."

Isobel nodded. "I know. But I still do not think it is anything to worry about. Topaz is serious, not evil."

Skipper sighed. "You don't know him that well, Isobel, remember?"

"I will be careful." Isobel promised as she climbed back down the tree.

Skipper was about to lay back down, but then he leaned over the edge of the tree.

"Have you ever heard of the Heart of the Earth?"

Isobel looked back up at him quizzically, and shook her head. Then she was gone. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Isobel found Mikhailov and Julien where she and her Firebird had slept a couple nights before.

She quietly laid down between both of them.

They were both fast asleep, and Isobel folded her hands beneath her head as she too tried to fall asleep.

One of her final thoughts was about what the elders had warned her uncle about when she helped the Trorix.

 _"_ _Creator…or destroyer."_

 **Super short, kind of a filler chapter, sorry about that! But hey, you got two chapters in one day. Things should pick back up next chapter.**


	35. The Meeting Place

Chapter 35: The Meeting Place

The next morning, Isobel arose early, as she had a task to complete.

Tira had told her about everyone taking part in village work already, and that did not scare Isobel. In fact, she was glad for it. This was her home as well, and she wanted to help how she could.

She yawned slightly as she quietly got up without disturbing Julien or Mikhailov. She retrieved her bow and arrows, which she slung across her back.

The village was coming to life as she walked through it. Women were weaving strong baskets or patching clay jugs that had begun to crack, and men were stoking fires to begin cooking the first meal of the day.

Isobel stepped into the jungle, and began searching for the Shurnag tree. Its thorns emitted a liquid that had similar effects to lidocaine when it pierced the skin, but Isobel was planning on harvesting its sap, which was used for medicinal purposes.

She found the tree, and pulled her dagger from her quiver. She whittled a hole into the bark, and soon sap began to leak out. She held the small clay pot her aunt had given her for this purpose to the tree's trunk. Once it was filled up, she began stuffing wet clay into the hole she had made so the tree would stop leaking.

She turned around, pot in hand, and saw Topaz walking towards her.

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Mikhailov and Julien woke up after Isobel left, and they parted ways.

Julien had gone over to the tree where he knew the penguins had slept, and called up to them.

" _Buenos dias,_ penguins!"

Skipper's eyes cracked open, and his eyebrows were already knitted together in annoyance. He peeked his head down over the edge of the 'nest' and saw Julien.

"Morning, Ringtail."

Jack jumped down from the tree, looking well rested.

"Cheerio, chaps, I'll probably come back later." He said as he waved and began walking away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Julien asked him.

"Back to the ship." Jack replied. "Hopefully they haven't burnt it down."

After he left, the penguins came down as well.

Rico stretched, and his stomach grumbled loudly. He wrapped his flippers around it and whined a little.

"Same, Rico." Skipper glanced around, flippers on his hips. "Where can a penguin get some fish around here?"

"Look, Skippa." Private pointed to some villagers who were bringing back baskets of freshly caught fish. "I guess we're having that for breakfast."

"Come on, boys." Skipper signaled his team to follow him into the village. He then turned back and looked at Julien. "You coming, Ringtail?"

Julien smiled slightly at the invite. Skipper rarely did that. "Well obviously."

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Isobel straightened up, tilting her head up defiantly. Now that she suspected Topaz could be working with Clopar, she never wanted to look weak in front of him. She needed to look ready for a fight.

But Topaz was not approaching her like he would do her harm. He kept his eyes on her as he walked closer, and a small smile touched his lips.

"Hello, Isobel."

Isobel inhaled softly, lowering her head a little. She needn't be so defensive. She wasn't even sure if it was true, what she was thinking. "Hello, Topaz."

"Your aunt has you doing work as well?" Topaz inclined his head to Isobel's clay pot.

Isobel did not answer as she held the pot with both hands.

Topaz passed Isobel and began to climb up the tree she had just collected from. He had a cloth sack slung over his back.

"Sequoyah wants me to collect the thorns." He called down to Isobel. "I've done it once, and my fingers went numb afterwards."

Isobel looked up at Topaz, still not saying anything. She watched as he carefully snapped thorns off of the branches, and dropped them into his sack.

She waited the full half hour it took him to fill up his sack, and she leaned against the tree, swishing the sap around in her clay pot.

Topaz jumped down from the tree, and saw that she was still there. He smiled at her, and said, "You waited for m-"

"Why are you here?" Isobel suddenly asked him, no hint of anger or even vague curiosity in her voice.

Topaz folded his arms, his smile momentarily fading, but it came right back and he shook his head slightly. "You insist on that question every time we meet. Can I not be here for adventure's sake?"

Isobel shook her head, her expression beginning to give way to distrust. "The only way Ajihad would have let you in is if you claimed to be from the Northern clans. Or a friend of one."

Topaz would not let his expression betray him, although his smile had vanished, and he cleared his throat.

Before he could answer Isobel's accusation, she went on. "Are you working with Clopar?"

Now Topaz looked down, shifting his weight a little. He looked back up at her solemnly.

That was an answer enough for Isobel, and she turned on her heel to go back to the village.

"Isobel." Topaz reached out, his fingers just barely scraping her shoulder.

She nudged her shoulder down and whipped back around to him. She looked angry now. "Leave Talamaru, Topaz. You should not be here."

And with that, she left again, this time uninterrupted by Topaz.

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Isobel felt a mix of emotions as she walked back home. She was angry, mostly at herself for having trusted Topaz so easily, and she was disheartened by the fact that Topaz would actually team up with Clopar.

 _But why?_

This was what made Isobel feel frightened. What could they be stirring up?

Isobel wanted to tell her aunt and uncle. But if it turned out to be nothing, just Clopar pretending he could possibly try something, her uncle would never trust outsiders again. They could all be banished; maybe even Isobel herself.

She set her pot amongst the others filled with medicine once she arrived in the village.

She found Julien and the penguins sitting around eating seafood and fresh fruits.

"Hey, Iz." Private waved happily to her. "This isn't exactly English breakfast, but it's still fantastic!"

Isobel sat next to Julien, but not so close as to raise suspicions from the nosy villagers.

She fixed her own bowl of fruits and a few shrimps.

Skipper finished chewing his fish and looked over at Isobel. "The boys and I were going to take the Charley for a spin today. Did you want to come?"

"I would," Isobel began, "but I have more things in the village to do today."

Skipper nodded in understanding as he stood up, seeing that the rest of his team had finished breakfast as well. "Next time, then. Let's move out, men."

The other penguins stood, and Private piped up.

"Shouldn't we thank the king and queen for letting us stay?"

Isobel nodded. "Yes. They're sitting in their thrones now, it would be acceptable to approach them."

When the penguins went to speak with the sheikh and sheikrah, Isobel nudged Julien's shoulder.

"You should go back with them."

Julien's shoulders sagged a little. "But I am wanting to spend the day with you."

Isobel gave him a small smile. "I have missed you too. But there are still things for me to finish here. I can see you tonight in Madagascar."

Julien nodded, and he rested his elbows on his knees and set his chin in his upturned hands. "But that is in like forever! What will I be doing all day?"

"Go on an adventure with Mikhailov, or visit Jack." Isobel suggested. "It can be like a mission."

Julien's ears perked up at that. "A mission? Like the penguins spy-guy thingies!"

He stood up excitedly. "This is a good plan, and that's why I am loving you." He bent down quickly to give her a one-second hug, as Isobel had explained to him already that her people could not know about them yet.

Isobel smiled up at him, and he smiled back, waiting for her to say something.

"I love you too."

Julien's eyes widened a little. She had never said that before.

"Are you ready, Ringtail?" Skipper suddenly appeared beside him, but Julien didn't answer.

"What?" Julien turned to him about five seconds after Skipper's initial question. "Oh, um, yes! Let us go be adventuring."

Skipper raised an eyebrow. "Okay, then. See you, Isobel."

Isobel gave her goodbyes, and smiled at Julien, who stared at her with a big smile as he began to walk away with the penguins.

"Ouch!" Kowalski said. "Julien, you stepped on my feet."

"You're welcome." Julien said absent-mindedly, mishearing what Kowalski had said.

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Topaz had also come back to the village, but only to drop off his sack of thorns. Then, he retreated back into the jungle.

He walked along the windy path he had grown accustom to following. All along the way, his mind was racing. Isobel knew now that he worked with Clopar. But she of course knew nothing of their plans, of that he was sure.

He sighed, pausing for a moment beside a wide tree.

 _"_ _You should not be here."_

It hurt Topaz in more ways than one that Isobel had said that. But he shook his head at himself as he moved on.

Why would she want him there at all, especially now that she knew about his alliance?

And, besides, she seemed quite happy with his brother, Julien.

Topaz came upon the small clearing that Clopar had declared their meeting place.

It was secluded and surrounded by tall grasses and a thick overhead canopy, giving it plenty of privacy.

No one else was there yet, and Topaz leaned against a tree with low hanging branches.

He rubbed his eyes with his hands, trying to rid of them of that exhausted, guilty feeling.

He cleared his throat, and thought about how he would tell Clopar of what had happened. He decided he could practice it out loud, as he was alone.

"Clopar…" He started, knowing exactly what he would say, but he stopped, and sighed. He decided he could say what was on his mind and heart in this practice speech, so he would not accidently tell Clopar. "Clopar, I cannot finish this mission. Too much is at stake. She is clearly happy with my brother, and I could never replace-"

Suddenly, the woman he had been with in the crowd, Chimera, swung down from one of the branches.

"Got something to share with the class there, Topaz?" She asked, a smirk on her face.

Topaz frowned, trying to hide his embarrassment. "What're you doing here, Chimera?"

She flipped down from the branch, landing in front of Topaz. "The boss told us all to meet here, didn't he?"

Topaz's ears flattened. "I didn't know it was going to be all of us."

"Duh." Chimera crossed her arms, leaning on her left leg. "We have to start the plan soon."

Topaz nodded. Chimera turned around to pace the small clearing, and he assessed her.

She was not particularly beautiful, or even pretty. Her best feature were her icy blue eyes, but even those could not be alluring, as she spent all of her time scowling or smirking. Her pelt was a dusty rose-grey, and she was easily as tall as Topaz.

He wondered why Clopar had picked someone who stood out so much in this land. She looked nothing like Isobel, who could turn every head in a room just by walking in, captivate a crowd with one green-eyed glance.

Just as Topaz was getting lost in his thoughts, Clopar entered through the tall grass.

Both Chimera and Topaz straightened up.

Clopar had his hands behind his back. He looked tired, and, most importantly and unfortunately, irritated.

His eyes wept over his two subordinates, but he glanced back around the clearing before speaking.

"I imagine you only have neutral reports for me." He began, his voice as terrifyingly even as ever.

Topaz gulped, and Chimera went first.

"The princess' guests arrived in Talamaru a little sooner than expected," she began, "But it does not affect the plan. The sheikh is more naïve than we imagined, so that should be good."

Clopar nodded once. "How did Isobel look when the guests arrived?"

Chimera wrinkled her nose. "Horrid, as I figured. All high and mighty because her uncle is the sheikh."

Clopar's expression was unreadable, but his ears flattened for a moment. "Your girlish jealousies have no place in this, Chimera."

"Isobel looked calm and collected," Topaz spoke up, "And the sheikh looked trusting of the newcomers."

Clopar chuckled darkly. "Just like with us. And what have you to report, Topaz? I know you met with Isobel for swordsmanship."

Topaz nodded. "She trusted me, just as we planned."

Clopar begin to nod as well, but stopped when he noticed the tense Topaz had used. "Trusted? What happened between then and now?"

Topaz glanced down, dread filling his chest. "She knows."

Chimera glared at him silently, and Clopar's eyes widened.

"You _idiot_."

He lunged forward, and attacked Topaz.

 **Whoo, a lot more information and a much longer chapter! Any questions, feel free to ask, and please remember to review!**


	36. Glimmer

Chapter 36: Glimmer

Sequoyah approached Isobel after the penguins and Julien had left.

"I had a vision last night." She said as she sat beside her niece. "Today, you must go deep into the forest. There is a place that you must go."

Isobel furrowed her brow. "To where?"

Sequoyah shook her head. "You must follow where the spirits take you."

That sounded strangely ominous to Isobel, and Sequoyah noticed a change in her eyes.

"Don't be afraid, Isobel. It is a sacred place. There is someone there who wants to see you, if my vision is right." Sequoyah told her.

"Is this person a spirit?" Isobel asked. She wondered if Sequoyah meant one of her parents.

But Sequoyah shook her head again. "No, she is very much alive. But she hardly comes to the village anymore. It's too hard for her."

Isobel nodded, but she still was not sure who it could be.

Nevertheless, she set off in the direction her aunt pointed her to.

When she reached the part of the jungle where light began to fade from overgrown canopies, she paused, trying to decide which way to go.

But she did not have to choose as small, silver wisps like smoke floated around her.

 _Old spirits._ Isobel realized as she felt her racing heart slow.

She watched the wisps as they circled a few more times, and then darted out in front of her. She gathered that she was supposed to follow them, and trotted along behind the surprisingly quick spirits.

As they reached the darker place, where the only light came from small, bioluminescent plants and lichens, the spirits sped up, making Isobel break into a run as she narrowly dodged low branches and thick vines.

Suddenly, the spirits vanished, and Isobel ran through where they would have been. She stopped to catch her breath, and noticed a strange purple glow coming from just around the corner.

She cautiously stepped closer, and turned to where the glow was coming from.

She stopped in her tracks, not just because of the ledge, but because of what the glow was coming from.

There, in the clearing, was a huge tree that resembled a weeping willow. It's long, glowing, soft purple tendrils swung steadily in a breeze that was not there.

Isobel stared unblinkingly. She knew this place, although she had never been there. Every Ta'li knew of this place, but only few were invited.

This was the Sacred Tree of Ellesmera.

She was unsure if she should step down onto the soil, for even it was sacred. But the tendrils of the tree seemed to reach for her, and so she stepped down, carefully.

The moment her foot touched the soil below the ledge, the tendrils glowed a vibrant purple, and the roots that stretched all the way to Isobel could be seen below the ground, glowing bright green.

Isobel walked slowly, not wanting to anger the spirits that she knew might be waiting in the tree.

The tree held the voices of the ancestors as they rested in a cosmic heaven. It was named after Ellesmera, a demigoddess who lived on earth and could take any animal form, but it was said she preferred Firebird or lemur. She was a voice for the ancestors as well, and could climb up the branches of this tree into heaven.

 _Come closer._

Isobel's ears pricked when she heard the soft yet powerful voice. It seemed to be coming from the tree itself, and Isobel walked a little quicker.

The tendrils of the tree reached out and touched Isobel when she was close enough.

Immediately, Isobel had visions of a paradise. But it was short lived, and she began to see other flashes as well: one second of a storm, one second a war, one second of a feathered headdress being flung, stained with blood.

"Isobel?"

The tendrils released Isobel, and she turned her head to the source of this new voice.

Once again, she was shocked to look into eyes as green as her own. She saw twelve, white gold hoops adorning their ears, six in each ear.

Isobel knew at once who this was. "Grandmother Nefertiri?"

Her grandmother was old, of course, but she was alive. She smiled as she walked nearer to Isobel. Her fur had gone entirely silver with age, but she still looked spry.

"Isobel." Nefertiri repeated as she touched her granddaughter's face. She had to reach up a little, as she had shrunk as well.

" _Jidah_." Isobel quietly uttered the word for 'grandmother'. She could not contain her smile. This was the women who occupied so much of her memory of Talamaru; of her parents.

"I knew you had come home." Nefertiri was still smiling as she moved her hand away. "I have missed you so, child."

"Why do you not stay in the village, _jidah_?" Isobel asked her.

Nefertiri shook her head. "It is too painful. My daughter, the Sheikrah of Talamaru, died there. And that is where I lost you."

"But I am home now." Isobel said reassuringly.

Nefertiri gave her a sad smile. "Still. And, besides, I have come to like it here. Tell me, what have you done in the village so far?"

Isobel motioned for them to sit. Her grandmother looked tired, and she had much to tell her.

She told her everything, from Atlantis to New York to Talamaru. She even told her about Julien as she remembered how relaxed her grandmother had always been about societal rules.

Nefertiri smiled at that, her crow's feet wrinkles crinkling in the corners of her green eyes.

"Ajihad will come around to the idea." She told her granddaughter. "Especially with the Celebrations coming up. I always loved those."

"Will you come this year?" Isobel asked her.

Nefertiri nodded. "It is the only time I really socialize with the village."

Isobel nodded as well, and looked away, unsure of what to speak of next. She wanted to ask about her mother and father, but she thought it might be too painful for her grandmother still.

"I know of what the elders told you." Nefertiri suddenly spoke up. "About your gift, or curse, as they see it."

Isobel looked back to her. "And what do you think?"

Her grandmother gazed at her for a few moments before sighing. "Only the future can tell us."

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High above Madagascar, the penguins were cruising in their helicopter.

It felt good to them to "stretch their wings", even though technically it was the Charley that was doing the work for them.

On the other hand, Mikhailov was flying close to them, actually stretching his wings as they weaved over the island and out across the ocean.

Mikhailov squinted against the bright afternoon sun as salt water sprayed into his feathers and the wind whipped through his fur. It was magnificent to him, freedom like this. He had never known a time when he was unable to fly, aside from when Isobel had mistakenly broken his wing when they first met.

Inside the Charley, Skipper was surveying the land/seascape as he steered them around. He and Kowalski were both wearing sunglasses.

"So where are we going? What is our mission?" Julien popped up between the two penguins, looking excitedly out of the windshield.

"No mission, Ringtail, just cruising." Skipper said shortly. "Besides, why would we bring you on an actual mission?"

"Because I am good at the spy-guy things, even if you smelly penguins do not think so." Julien crossed his arms. He noticed some papers sticking out of the small drawer in front of Skipper on the dash. He reached forward to pull them out. "Ooh, what are these, clues?"

Skipper slammed the drawer shut, effectively smashing Julien's fingers, which he ripped free.

"Ouch!" He said, holding onto his now throbbing fingers. "What was that for?"

Skipper glared at Julien. "For not minding your own business. They're highly classified, Ringtail."

Julien sighed. "Fine. I will go bother the nice penguin then."

Private had been organizing all of the sea shells he had collected form the beach. He welcomed Julien to have a look, who sat beside the penguin.

"What is that one?" Julien pointed to a pinkish, spiraled shell.

"I think it's a hermit crab shell." Private explained. "But there's no hermit crab inside, thank goodness."

Julien nodded, and then remembered he had something to show Private. He lifted up his crown, and from the inner lining, he removed the pearl Isobel had given him.

"Look, Isobel found this under a waterfall." He held I tout to Private.

Private gasped. "Julien, that's beautiful! What're you going to do with?"

Julien shook his head. "I am not knowing yet. I want to make it into something for Isobel."

"That's a good idea." Private smiled and he went back to labelling and organizing his sea shells.

Julien rolled the little pearl around in his palm, deep in thought. Suddenly, his face lit up; he knew how he could use the pearl, and he was going to need Mikhailov's help.

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Isobel looked up at the swaying tendrils of the scared tree. They were still glowing, this time a soft pink, which Isobel took to mean that everything was harmonious and calm.

"I have seen Ellesmera here before." Nefertiri said. "She has never spoken to me before."

"She won't speak to mortals." Isobel spoke up. "She isn't allowed to speak of the future."

"This is true." Her _jidah_ agreed. "But she has spoken to mortals before. Perhaps she is just waiting for the right one again."

Isobel nodded, and was about to speak, but she heard that voice again.

 _Away to the forest._

Isobel glanced at her grandmother. "Can you hear it too?"

Nefertiri shook her head. "What is it saying?"

"'Away to the forest'". Isobel repeated.

Nefertiri gestured with her to hand to where Isobel had come from. "You must go then, child. See what the spirits want you to see."

Isobel obliged after giving her good-byes. She took the same route that the spirits had led her through, although this time there were no wispy spirits to guide her.

She wondered what she would find.

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Topaz was walking back through the forest, away from the secret meeting place.

He and Clopar had fought, and he let him win, as he could not afford to go against Clopar's wishes now.

Topaz's face was a little swollen, and his chest was bruised where Clopar had kicked him after he fell. His heart ached for many reasons.

Tears began blurring his vision. He was exhausted, angry at himself for becoming involved with Clopar. He was not weak, and was in fact quite smart, which was why Clopar had singled him out in South Africa. Clopar had gone to South Africa after he had been rescued from the banishment desert, and Topaz had been there with Mauve and Julien's brother and sister, Rafa and Jazlene. Clopar had somehow known who he was, and he began speaking with him, asking questions about Julien, and eventually about Isobel. Topaz had thought nothing of it, and told him everything, perhaps out of spite.

And then, he had been kidnapped, forced into Clopar's devious plan, on threat of his and Julien's family being tortured should he not comply.

Topaz stopped walking. He needed to rest for a moment. He sat down beside a tree, and rested his forehead in his palm. He closed his eyes, drowning in his thoughts, until he heard someone say his name.

"Topaz?"

He looked up slowly, and saw Isobel, standing not ten feet from him, looking a little confused.

He quickly stood up, wanting to make things better from how their last conversation had ended, and not just because it was in Clopar's plan. "Isobel."

Isobel's eyes were narrowed. Topaz figured it was because she was still angry with him. But she was wondering why she had come across Topaz first.

 _Do the spirits want me to see him?_

She approached him, and could clearly see that he had been in a fight. Her eyes widened. She knew who with, but she asked anyway. "What happened?"

Topaz cleared his throat, his serious nature hardly wavering. He didn't want her to see him like this. "Clopar and I fought. He is angry that you know."

Isobel nodded carefully. She wanted to _not_ trust Topaz, as her instincts automatically told her. But, in her heart, she could find no distrust around him. "He is an angry person. Vengeful, even."

Topaz swallowed. _You have no idea how much,_ he thought to himself.

"I cannot trust you, Topaz." Isobel explained softly. "As much as I want to, in my heart…"

Topaz's ears perked up a little, anticipating what she would say.

"…because you are Julien's brother, I want to trust you. But I cannot. There is nothing for you to prove yourself." Isobel concluded, almost sadly. "I do not think that you want to be apart of this, but, however Clopar is making you do it, you are bound to him. I cannot speak to you again. Good-bye, Topaz."

Topaz had no words, and he watched as Isobel walked away.

But when she slightly peered over her shoulder, giving him one more green-eyed glance, he felt a glimmer of hope.


	37. Splitting Her Time

**Sorry it took forever to get out a new chapter! I had writer's block, even though all of this was pre-hand written. See, I realized my chapters were a little jumbled and I needed to omit and fix some stuff, and couldn't decide how to do that. But now I think I know exactly where the story is headed. Thank you for continuing to read and please review afterwards!**

Chapter 37: Splitting Her Time

"Rico, how could you?" Kowalski asked, completely horrified. "You've sneezed on my soil samples, and now they are contaminated and useless!"

They were all back on land, and Kowalski had set up a fold out table for experimenting. He had been able to collect soil from Talamaru, and had been comparing it to Malagasy soil until Rico had come up and sneeze all over them.

"Sorry." Rico said sheepishly.

Kowalski laid his head on the table in despair.

Skipper rolled his eyes. "Look around yourself, Kowalski; we're in paradise, and all you can think of is _dirt_?"

Kowalski glanced up, and then sighed as he sat up. "You've made a valid point. I'm obsessing over soil when I could really be studying the plants, for botany's sake."

"Yeah, that's the… spirit." Skipper raised an eyebrow. Sometimes, he just did not get Kowalski.

It was evening now, and they were all waiting for Isobel to return.

Mikhailov paced along the beach, turning over shells and walking in the tide.

Julien was with Maurice, and he was discussing the pearl with him. Julien had come up with an idea for how to use the pearl.

"Where are you going to get the other stuff though?" Maurice asked him.

Julien shrugged. "Mik was able to get her those earrings last year, so maybe he is knowing where to find the other things."

Maurice nodded, and Jack walked up to them. He had just come from his ship.

"Has my sister come back yet?" he asked, looking like he had been working hard all day.

"No." Julien put the pearl back under his crown. "I am waiting, she said that we could be hanging out tonight. Maybe I should plan her a party or something."

Jack smiled, almost sheepishly. "Well, this is awkward. I was about to invite her to a bash that my crew is throwing."

"Ooh, can I go?" Julien asked excitedly. He loved hosting parties, but he loved not having to worry about keeping everyone entertained as well.

Jack shook his head apologetically. "I wanted to be able to spend time with her before she gets all wrapped up with her village life. And with you."

"Oh." Julien wasn't sure if he was supposed to be hurt or heartened by Jack's statement.

Jack cleared his throat. "Don't take it the wrong way, mate, I think you're brilliant. It's just harder to spend time with Iz now that she has all of you to split her time between."

Julien nodded, even though he still felt sad. "Yeah, I am getting it. She will be happy about the party."

"Great!" Jack smiled broadly this time. "I'm going to see if I can catch up with her."

Jack began to walk off towards Talamaru, and Julien rested his elbows on Maurice's smoothie bar, which was much better than the one at the zoo.

He set his head in his hands and sighed. "I am not getting it, Maurice. I am wanting to be spending all of my time with Isobel, but she is having no time for me."

"She's busy, man." Maurice explained to him gently. "It's not that she doesn't want to see you. She has a lot of stuff on her mind and she's finding out new, like life-changing stuff right now. You're just not the center-point of her life right now. But that doesn't mean she stopped caring about you."

Julien looked at his advisor. "You are always knowing about the relationships, Maurice."

Maurice shrugged nonchalantly. "Anytime, man."

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Jack walked into Talamaru. The sun was setting, and so he opened up his map. He studied the holograms before himself, and when he was sure that he would not get lost, he closed up the map.

He walked into the village and saw Isobel getting ready to leave as she slung her bow and arrows over her shoulder.

She looked up and saw Jack, and she smiled a little. "What are you doing here?"

Jack stopped in front of her. "The crew is hosting a party below deck on the _Conquistadora._ I was wondering if you wanted to come."

Isobel shifted on her feet. "I don't know. I told Julien I would spend time with him when I came back. I've practically been ignoring him lately."

"Already talked to him." Jack assured her. "He said it was fine."

"Really?" Isobel tilted her head a little. _I guess he needs his own space too,_ she thought silently, and then out loud, "Well, I will come then."

"Grand." Jack began looking over Isobel's shoulder, as though he planned on spotting someone in particular. "Would you consider inviting some more lasses? The crew wants to dance."

Isobel laughed. Now that was the Jack she remembered. "And by crew I'm sure you mean yourself. I think I have a couple of girls in mind. I'll bring them soon."

Jack tipped his hat at her, and then went back to let his crew know.

In the meantime, Isobel needed to find Tira and Aneza.

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Topaz was on his way back to the secret meeting place for the second time that day.

After Clopar had finished their fight, he had said they would all need to meet again that same night, as they would not see each other for more than week after that.

It was very dark in the undergrowth now, but it was not the darkness that worried Topaz; it was the things that lurked there.

Suddenly, he heard heavy footsteps heading his way, and he whipped around, heart hammering.

He was face-to-beak with a familiar Firebird.

"Topaz?" Katia's soft French accent filled the air.

Topaz let out a sigh of relief. "You scared me."

"Zorry." Katia said quietly. "I am geetting spooked out here too."

Topaz nodded. "We're almost to the meeting place. Follow me."

Katia obliged, carefully stepping over uplifted tree roots.

She had also been unfairly "recruited" into Clopar's plans. Her mother had disappeared when she was very young, leaving her father to raise her and her younger sister, Adeline. But she had been separated from her small family during a flight over the fjords of Scandinavia, far from her native France. The rebel firebirds that she had heard of in her childhood, who burned down villages and kidnapped hatchlings, had taken her into their cause as well. She was not a child any longer, but could still serve useful. But the worst thing that they had done was force her to drink poison. It bubbled up into her brain, destroying the part that allowed a Firebird to bond with their Rider. This way, she would be forced to remain with a herd. Being unable to bond with a Rider meant death for a Firebird, unless they remained steadfastly loyal to another cause; good or evil.

It was not Clopar exactly who had "saved" her from the rebels, but instead some other agency he was affiliated with.

Red lobsters had snuck her away in the night, promising that she would be free and that they could restore the destroyed part of her brain.

But she realized they had lied when she ended up flying over the Indian Ocean, and to the Valley of a Thousand Splendid Suns. They had given her a mission to save Clopar, as only Firebirds could survive flying over the desert.

She had found him, half-dead and half-crazed, laying in the hot sand, staring into the sun.

The moment she looked into his cold, dark eyes, she knew the center of this man's attention would be a very bad place to be.

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"I don't know." Aneza said warily, holding her left elbow with her right hand.

"Are you kidding, Aneza, it's a party! On the outside, no less." Tira spoke excitedly, glancing between Isobel and Aneza, her hands clasped together.

Isobel had just asked them if they would go to the party with her. Technically, they would not have been allowed to leave Talamaru (except for Isobel, of course), but Tira was in an adventurous mood and was willing to get in trouble for this.

"I could leave first, and then you could follow a little while after?" Isobel suggested.

Aneza's eyes darted around. She did not really want to get caught. "Uhhh-"

Tira placed her hand over her friend's mouth and smiled at Isobel. "We'll be there."

Isobel left after giving them directions to Jack's ship.

She walked into Madagascar, and glanced around Julien's village once she reached it. Her eyes scanned for Julien, and she saw him sitting high up in his favorite tree while his people turned on string lights and began to play music for a party of their own.

Isobel set her bow and arrows at the base of the tree and began to climb up it. She reached the branch he was on, but he did not see her right away, as he was staring down absentmindedly at the party unfolding before him.

She crept up beside him, a small smile on her face.

He finally realized she was there, and turned to face her, smiling slightly. "I thought you would be going straight to Jack's party."

"I promised I would see you tonight." Isobel said quietly. "And, besides, it doesn't look like you're having much fun up here."

Julien shrugged. "Sometimes I like to just watch."

Isobel knew that wasn't true. "Whenever there is dancing, you always join. Come with me to Jack's party."

Julien looked at her, and very much wanted to say yes, but he remembered what Jack and Maurice had told him. "No, go have fun with your brother. We have lots of time to be partying like crazy."

Isobel smiled at him, grateful for his understanding. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and was gone again.


	38. Discussion of Tasks

Chapter 38: Discussion of Tasks

When the sun had set, and the nightlife of the jungle awoke, Isobel made her way down the shore and to the tide where the _Conquistadora_ was moored.

The lanterns on the sides of the ship were lit, and Isobel could hear voices coming down from the ship's deck.

She climbed up one of the mooring lines and over the railing, and was aboard.

She saw Jack speaking to his first mate, O'Harty, who also donned a tricorn hat, just less grand than Jack's.

Jack heard Isobel approach, and he turned around, smiling. The breeze blew his ostrich feather about, and he was wearing his cape to keep from catching a chill.

He walked up to his sister, still smiling. "So you want to go to a real party?"

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As Isobel, Jack, and O'Harty made their way below deck, Irish music and laughter began to fill their ears.

O'Harty was ahead of them on the staircase, and as he stepped down onto the lower deck, he called out happily, "Stop your talkin' about the captain, he's here!"

The pirates, most of them lemurs, turned the heads to his voice and laughed. Most of them were sitting down and a few had their feet up on the table and chairs.

They made a few jeers at Jack for fun, and they soon noticed Isobel.

"Who's this green eyed lass?" One of them, by the name of John, gestured to her, a friendly gleam in his brown eyes. He was tall, and a little on the stocky side.

Jack smiled and made a sweeping gesture with his hat. "This is Isobel, my sister; so no funny business."

There were a couple of "aww"s from the sailors, but O'Harty smiled back at the two, his own light green eyes twinkling.

"Isobel! Now there's a real Irish name. I don't suppose you're even Irish though?"

Isobel smiled, and it was evident when she spoke that she was indeed not Irish. "Not even close."

"So, cap'n where are the girls?" One sailor spoke up.

"Well, Isobel promised she would bring a couple of friends so we could actually dance, but they're nowhere in sight." Jack frowned down at his sister.

"They'll be here." Isobel frowned back up at him. "They just needed time to-"

A crashing sound was heard from up the staircase, and a few words were shouted the pirates did not understand, but Isobel certainly did.

"Tira, you're a disaster!" Aneza's heavily accented voice came down the stairs. "I can't – Oh."

Tira and Aneza had come all the way down the stairs, and were now facing a crowded room full of sailors.

Tira smiled, glad to see there were plenty of people. " _Buenos noches_!"

Isobel turned and smiled at her friends. "You made it!"

"Yes, but we got lost." Aneza glared up at Tira.

"Then how did you find your way?" Isobel asked.

"We bumped into a friendly Malagasy king." Tira winked at Isobel. Then, she addressed the rest of the crew. "We heard there was a party, and so we came!"

The crew cheered, and John looked over to Jack.

"This is the best place we've ever made port, captain! Captain?"

Jack's gaze was fixated on Tira. He had never seen someone so beautiful. "What? Oh, well, let's start the party then!"

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Clopar was waiting in a tree just above the secret meeting place for Topaz and Katia. Chimera was already there, practicing archery.

Clopar noted that she was not very good at all, because although Topaz, who was an expert, had been instructing her, she refused to listen to him.

He rolled his eyes as she missed her target yet again.

He felt most comfortable high up in a tree. This way he could survey everything, let nothing escape his cruel gaze.

He thought about his plan over and over again, and the reason why he had made this particular plan. Topaz, Katia, Chimera, or really anyone for that matter, knew his true motive: revenge. And not just against the King of Atlantis for banishing him. It was also against Isobel herself.

Clopar looked down as he heard the rustle of the tall grasses.

Katia and Topaz had arrived at the secret meeting place.

Clopar jumped down from the tree and looked rigidly at Topaz, who averted his eyes from Clopar's.

Chimera looked Katia up and down. She found Katia weak, emotionally. In truth, Katia had been deeply scarred, which did in turn make her seem "weak"; but it was all she could do to not crumple in on herself.

"So," Clopar broke the thick silence as everyone gathered around, "I will go over all of your tasks once again. I expect that you'll all follow through."

Chimera nodded obediently, but Topaz and Katia only looked at him.

Clopar took a breath. "This will all begin on the first day of the Ta'li festival, the Celebration of New Beginnings. Although it is never too early to start." He looked pointedly at Topaz, and then continued on, looking at all of them. "Katia, capture the attention of the Russian."

"Mikhailov." Katia said quietly. "That ees his name."

Clopar's eyes narrowed just enough to appear icy, and Katia looked down.

"That whole point, Katia, is to keep… _Mikhailov_ away from Isobel for as long as possible. Do anything you must. You're terribly dramatic, try utilizing that as a tactic for once."

Topaz glanced over at Katia, her gaze still downcast, and her expression was a mix of humiliation and sorrow.

"Same for you Chimera." Clopar continued. "Except for you, it will be that Malagasy king. But he must be completely lured away from her."

Chimera snorted. "Easy."

Topaz looked at her, disgusted. "Easy? Clopar, how can you expect her to accomplish that? She looks as though she were perpetually sucking on a lemon."

A twinge of a smile came to Clopar's eyes, but only for a moment. "Don't worry about that. Should that be an issue, I have ways to help. And now for you, Topaz."

Topaz brought his eyes back to Clopar's.

"Make Isobel trust you." Clopar stepped a little closer to Topaz. "Spend as much time with her as possible. Keep her away from the Malagasy king and the Firebird as much as possible. And when she trusts you enough-"

"Bring her to you." Topaz finished for him. His heart lurched in his chest, and he tried to ignore it.

Clopar only smiled.

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Back aboard the _Conquistadora_ , Isobel, her friends, Jack, and the rest of the crew danced the night away.

While Isobel and Aneza alternated the dances between different sailors, Tira stayed only with Jack. She would smile excitedly at them whenever she and Jack twirled by.

Tira was the same height as Jack, and he loved her personality, and it didn't hurt that he saw her as being so beautiful.

Isobel watched them, and saw for the first time that her brother was truly enchanted. She was happy about this, and even happier that it was with her friend, who she thought could be good for Jack. There was just one rather big thing that stood in their way.

"The Courtship." Isobel told Jack when they finally stopped dancing and she could get him away from Tira for two seconds.

"But I know nothing about Talamaru." Jack told her desperately. "Why can't she and I just be together?"

Isobel crossed her arms and smiled. "Ta'li women are not so simple. You want to win her heart, and more importantly, her mother's? Go to the Courtship, come to the entire festival. Prove yourself."

Jack sighed and crossed his arms back at her. "Alright. And you're sure it will work?"

Isobel nodded. "Of course. The festival is the most exciting and beautiful time of our year. Everything will go as it should."


	39. Another Predicament

Chapter 39: Another Predicament

The week floated by, and the Celebration was nearly there with only two more days to wait.

Isobel had been splitting her time between being with Julien and sneaking Tira away to visit Jack.

Mikhailov had been feeling more on the independent side, and often went for solo flights.

The penguins had no problem with Isobel being away. They occupied themselves with days on the beach, Kowalski's research, some movies on the DVD player they brought along, and occasionally had dinner with Maurice and Julien's people.

Skipper had been thinking over his mission from the AG8. He knew he would have to act soon before they became impatient.

Isobel had invited them to the Celebration as guests, and so that would be the next time Skipper could enter Talamaru. He figured he could locate the ruby, dig it up, bring it back to Madagascar, and then come back to join the Celebrations.

But he continually had a creeping feeling.

 _Shouldn't I tell Isobel?_ He wondered.

He sighed in the pilot's chair as he sifted through the papers once more.

" _Just press this button,"_ Alistair had told him in the mailbox, _"It will take no more than three days for us to arrive. We will take the ruby, and your problems will be taken care of from there."_

Skipper knew that this technically did not involve Isobel. But he was taking something from her homeland, unapproved and unasked for, no matter how insignificant or forgotten this ruby was.

He shook his head, and decided this was best kept between him and his team.

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Isobel and Julien were on the beach in Madagascar, far down the shore line, away from everyone else.

The late afternoon sun caught their features and dazzled upon the water while a breeze kept them cool.

Isobel crossed her arms as they walked along. "What will you say to the sheikh?"

Julien looked down at her. "That we are wanting to be together. Right?"

Isobel met his gaze now, and she was confused to see him look so worried. She stopped. "Julien, what's the matter?"

"It is worrying me when you do not want to be spending all of your time with me, when I want to spend all of my time with you." Julien said quietly.

Isobel inhaled. She knew he meant to be sweet, but they couldn't reasonably spend _all_ of their time together. "I want to be with you. But I am home now. I have new things to do. And, so do you, now that you are here with your people. For now this is how things are, and someday, we can be together much more often."

"I guess you're right." Julien admitted. "I am just so bored sometimes without you to cheer me up. But, if this is what you are wanting, I will find more things to do."

Isobel smiled a little. "Alright. We still have the Celebration to look forward to."

Julien smiled back. "That will be being fun! How many dance-offs will there be?"

"I could not say." Isobel laughed, expecting that kind of question. "There will be so many things to do. And we get to watch the courtship."

"Watch?" Julien cocked his head. "Are we not participating in this flirty game?"

Isobel shook her head. "We won't have to once you speak to Ajihad. Besides," she smiled, "We would miss out on watching Jack court Tira."

"Oh, I knew it!" Julien said excitedly as they began to walk along again. "I was always knowing those two would be shipping."

"What?" Isobel asked with a laugh.

"Eh, it is something I was hearing the nice penguin talk about one time." Julien explained. "Skipper does not like it so much when he talks about the shipping."

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In Talamaru, Katia and Topaz were camping out in the meeting place. Clopar had left, and they would not see him again until the Celebration, if then.

Both of them were supposed to have been working on their 'tasks', but Topaz had not seen much of Isobel in Talamaru, and he knew if he went into Madagascar the penguins would chase him off.

Katia had seen Mikhailov around several times, and had finally caught his attention.

Unfortunately, she had to use her damsel-in-distress technique, which she was not fond of.

She was walking around the jungle, and Mikhailov was just a little ways ahead of her.

She had previously tried to engage in a conversation with him the day before, but he showed no interest.

Katia had to act before he was out of her reach again.

"Ah!" Katia screamed as she forced herself to fall.

That caught Mikhailov's attention, and he turned his head. He sighed when he saw it was Katia, but he could not leave a lady hurt, alone.

"Vhat happened?" He asked when he approached her.

"My ankle." Katia looked up at him with a few fake tears. "I zink I twisted eet."

She stretched out her left back leg to show him which ankle.

He peered down at it, and she got lost in the sight of his deep amber eyes and impressive antlers.

"Eet looks vine to me." Mikhailov straightened back up, looking at Katia.

Katia blinked at him, and furrowed her brows together. "I deed not know you are doctor." She said, taking on a sarcastic tone.

Mikhailov rolled his eyes, clicking his talons together. "Come, I help you up."

He placed his head beneath her neck, and stretched a strong wing beneath her belly.

Katia staggered up with his help, cursing herself for becoming sarcastic when she should be acting demure.

" _Merci beaucoup._ " Katia spoke quietly, eyes downcast.

Mikhailov was quiet for a moment. "Vill you be okay now, Miss Katia?'

"I…" Katia looked back at him, and then stumbled.

He caught her. "I guess not."

He helped her over to some soft looking moss, where she laid down and looked up at him with her big, violet eyes. She could hear a stream trickling somewhere near.

Mikhailov turned away, and Katia called, "Where are you going?"

Within a few moments, Mikhailov came back with some cold, wet moss in his beak that he had obviously collected from the stream.

He knelt down and covered Katia's ankle in it, taking great care to be gentle so as not to hurt her.

"Does thees help?" Katia asked quietly.

" _Da._ " Mikhailov replied. "Should do the trick."

"Okay."

Mikhailov stepped back, and Katia looked so delicate laying there.

"I stay vith you until you can geet up." Mikhailov said. "Lots of jackals in the forest."

Katia nodded. " _Oui,_ I have seen zem."

Mikhailov sat near her, but not close.

"Tell me a ztory." Katia said. She realized it sounded childish, but she had already said it.

But Mikhailov did not seem to mind, and he cleared his throat. "I tell you about Russia, and how the sturgeon ees better than any feesh the French ever ate…"

And while Mikhailov talked, Katia was soothed by his voice. She was actually paying attention, instead of just pretending to.

 _Topaz warned me of this._

She sighed very quietly. She had laughed at Topaz when he first told her of the feelings he caught during his mission, but now she understood his exact predicament.

 **Sorry for such a short chapter, but I just really wanted to post something. I'm in a tough spot with this story, but I'll get it sorted out. Thanks for continuing to read and please review!**


	40. The Clearing

Chapter 40: The Clearing

 **Today marks one full year on this site for me. I think that's pretty crazy, I feel like I just signed up yesterday. But, five stories later, here we are. I figured I should update today, so I hope you like the chapter!**

That evening, Isobel had agreed to spend some time with the penguins.

She walked down the shore, and the door to the Charley was already open.

Private greeted her as Kowalski slid the door closed.

"Good evening, Isobel." Skipper said from the pilot's chair.

Rico was chopping up some sushi on a make shift table in the back of the Charley.

The penguins had planned a movie night, just like the ones they had had in New York. Except this was not the HQ, and they would have to watch it on Private's laptop.

Private lined up what pillows and blankets they had, trying to make the cold floor as comfortable as possible.

"What movie are we watching?" Isobel asked as she got comfortable.

"Well, we're watching _Braveheart._ " Private replied. "I like it, but I wanted to watch _Titanic._ Skipper said no."

Skipper "harrumph"-ed, making his decision clear again.

Private pressed the power button on the laptop, but nothing happened. He did it again, and it only glowed a little before turning back off.

"The battery is dead!" Private said disappointedly.

"I thought you plugged it in this afternoon?" Skipper lowered his brow at him.

"No, that was Kowalski's job!" Private frowned at the scientist.

"Of course, when something goes wrong, blame it on me!" Kowalski threw his flippers up. "I did plug it in- Oh."

He saw that the charging cable was still bundled up, and that he had completely forgotten to plug it in.

"Sorry, guys." He said as he set about charging the laptop.

"Aw." Private and Rico said simultaneously.

"So now what?" Skipper put his flippers on his hips. They wouldn't be able to watch a movie until the laptop was fully charged, considering that the outlet was in the back, which wasn't a comfortable place to sit with all of their crates hogging the room.

"I know!" Private's face lit up. "Remember how I put together a box for each of us with sentimental things? We could go through those and show Isobel."

Skipper wasn't too keen on the idea, but Isobel thought it was nice of Private to have done that, and so she wanted to see.

Rico opened up the crate that had their personal things in it. Private had drawn little portraits of each of them as labels for the boxes. They were not the best, but it was easy to tell whose was whose; Rico with his mohawk and scar, Kowalski with a beaker next to him, Private with a big smile, and Skipper with his signature scowl.

Each penguin opened his own box, and Isobel went between all of them to see what they wanted to share with her.

Private pulled out some photographs, which brought smiles to his and Isobel's faces. There was a picture of Skipper at Thanksgiving, looking grumpy; a picture of Mikhailov wearing a Santa hat for Christmas Eve; the picture that Private had taken of him and Isobel on Christmas morning; and quite a few others.

"I am so glad you took these." Isobel told Private.

Rico nudged her shoulder, and she looked over to see him holding up an old ad for fireworks. She skimmed through it with him, and pointed to one in particular.

"'Dancing Rain'. That sounds pretty." She said.

Rico shook his head. "Nuh-uh, 'is one! Mad 'og, Mad 'og!" He was pointing with his flipper to a firework which had a cartoon drawing a snarling bulldog on the front.

Isobel moved on to Kowalski, and he showed her full notebooks with all sorts of formulas, scratched out equations, and incomplete drawings of inventions he never got around to. He also had a few science awards to show off, and even an old photo of himself from his first year of military school.

"That's you, Kowalski?" Isobel asked with a smile.

Kowalski scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. He had been almost late for picture day, and he knew his mother would kill him if he didn't send a photo home. So he had practically fallen out of his bunk, and hurriedly ran to the auditorium. He had forgotten his hat for the portrait, and the photographer, a ferret with a serious attitude, made him wear an old one that had begun to fade and stink. The hat was much too big, as was evident in the picture. His head feathers stuck out from under the cap, and the photographer caught him at an awkward moment, so it looked as though he was in mid-sneeze.

Rico glanced over Kowalski's shoulder, and grinned. Before Kowalski could react, Rico snatched the photo, and ran around, showing off the picture of younger Kowalski to Private and then Skipper.

"I remember that." Skipper chuckled. "Good going, 'Walski."

Isobel was about to move over to Skipper's box, but he looked up at her and gently laid the lid back on it. "Uh, sorry, doll. It's all classified."

Isobel nodded in understanding, and took a step back.

Actually, nothing in Skipper's personal box was technically 'classified'. He was just feeling very reserved, considering that he was still holding a few secrets from Isobel.

They still had a while before they could watch their movie, and as the penguins put their boxes away, they thought of something new to do.

"Come with me to Talamaru." Isobel suggested.

"This late?" Private asked, glancing at the darkness outside of the windshield.

Isobel nodded. "We will stick together. No one will mind."

They prepared to go on their mini-adventure, and Skipper gave Rico a few extra things to keep safe in his gullet, such as spare flashlights.

They hopped down onto the sand, and were soon crossing through Madagascar, and they came upon the tunnel of jasmine vines.

Skipper looked up as they passed through it, and saw that the stone ceiling was just beginning to crack a little.

The group entered Talamaru, and Isobel led them on a path they had never been to before. She wanted them to skirt the village so as not to alert any of the warriors.

The Talisman forest put on a splendorous show of fluorescent foliage for the penguins and Isobel. There was no moon out, which made the bioluminescence all the brighter, so there was no need for flashlights.

While the other penguins were fascinated with the beautiful scenery and interesting creatures, such as neon lizards, Skipper was becoming aware of his surroundings.

His brow furrowed as he realized that he recognized this path from the maps from Alistair that he had been pouring over.

He knew they were not far from where the ruby was.

They continued on their way, and Isobel quietly pointed out things to them along the way. Kowalski wanted to collect samples, but she urged him to leave the flora alone for the night.

Isobel grew quiet when they came to a clearing. She eyed it silently, not moving a muscle.

"Isobel? What's wrong?" Private asked. "Is there something in there?"

"No." Isobel was intensely focused on clearing. "I know this place."

She walked out ahead of them, and they reluctantly followed at a distance.

It unnerved Skipper that Isobel was acting so strangely here. This was the exact spot that map said the ruby was lost in.

Isobel stepped out into the middle of the clearing, turning about and looking down at the ground. Eventually, she must have found the spot she was looking for, because she sat down with her legs folded beneath her, hands in her lap, palms up.

"What is this place?" Kowalski asked. He found it odd that no bioluminescent plants were here. It was completely dark.

"My parents were killed here, in this place." Isobel finally spoke up. "This was the last place they were alive. I watched it happen."

Everyone heard Private gasp softly, but no one saw Skipper's eyes widen in horror.

A creeping feeling was spreading up his spine and settling in the pit of his stomach.

Private went to sit next to Isobel, to give her support.

"Isobel." Skipper said, clearing his throat, trying to disguise any waver in his voice.

Everyone looked at him.

"What…" Skipper continued. "Your mother was coronated that night, right?"

Isobel nodded. "Yes."

Skipper swallowed, knowing where this was going. "Did…did she have a crown?"

Isobel looked at him curiously, but answered his question. "It was headdress, with a golden diadem. There were three rubies on it. Two small, and one large one in the center. The men who took her crown after she died were too rough with it, and the large ruby fell out in this clearing somewhere. The rain washed over it, tumbled the dirt across it, and the grass grew over it. My people never tried to find it. They decided they should let it stay here in the earth. This place is sacred to us."

"Sacred." The word barely left Skipper's dry mouth.

Isobel said nothing, only assessed Skipper's face, and then looked away.

Skipper looked away as well. He knew this mission would have been too good to be true. He could never go through with it now.

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On the way back to the shores of Madagascar, Skipper's mind was a maelstrom. He would have to let his team down. And, more importantly, he had come so close to almost desecrating something so sacred to Isobel and the Ta'li people. The very thought made him shiver.

Isobel was still leading the group even though they were back in familiar territory.

She someone approaching, and she instantly recognized the figure.

"Tira?"

Tira's ears pricked up, and she locked eyes with Isobel.

"Oh, hey, Isobel." She smiled meekly at her.

Isobel had stopped, but she did not smile at her friend. "Tira, what are you doing out here so late?"

Tira's hazel-blue eyes swept back over to the shore, and Isobel instantly knew. She frowned. Not at Tira, but at the thought of her brother.

She stepped closer to Tira so the penguins would not hear her. "Jack shouldn't be asking you to come so late. He knows how risky it is."  
Tira sighed. "I know. This is the last time, okay, _chica_?"

Isobel nodded. "Okay."

They parted ways, and the penguins and Isobel continued on their way.

The group was soon back at the Charley, and they climbed inside, finally ready to have their movie night.

Skipper even caved and allowed Private to put on _Titanic._ Skipper wouldn't be able to pay attention to anything they watched anyway.

So while Private cheered and started the movie, everyone settled back down. Rico shut off all of the lights, and Private pressed PLAY.

Images of the Titanic leaving port, Rose leaning over the railing of the ship, Cal yelling at Jack, and Jack and rose sneaking off to the party in steerage, went past Skipper's eyes without him absorbing a thing. All he could see was Isobel sitting there in that clearing.

" _I figure life's a gift, and I don't intend on wasting it."_ Jack said on-screen, " _You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next…Make each day count."_


	41. Peas in a Pod

**Hey, everyone! Sorry for taking forever to update. School is keeping me extremely busy. But I have a short break from that, so I was able to update. I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 41: Peas in a Pod

The same night, around one, Katia was shaken from her sleep.

She groaned a little, and pushed out with her paws, still not quite awake.

"I won't go."

The nudges stopped, and she settled again.

"Katia."

Katia's eyes cracked open, and the glowing moss beneath her caught her attention. She looked down at it bleary-eyed, and then up at who had said her name.

Mikhailov's eyes glowed down at her. His expression was soft, but he was standing away from her. "I have to leave you here now. Lady Aysobel has not come back yet."

Katia blinked, fully taking in her surroundings. She remembered Mikhailov bringing moss to soothe her not-so-injured ankle, and then him telling her stories that had lulled her to sleep. "You stayed vis me? Eet must be ze middle of ze _nuit_."

Mikhailov swished his tail. "Vell, I cannot stay longer. Vill you be alright?"

Katia was surprised to find her feelings a little hurt. "Y-yes. I think ze moss really did help. Thank you."

Mikhailov nodded, and he waited for Katia to stand up on her own before he left in search of Isobel.

Katia watched him go, which was easy as his footprints were left behind in bioluminescence from the soil. Night birds and spotted lizards continued on with their routines all the same once all was quiet again.

Katia looked up and around the forest floor and the trunks of trees. It was beautifully lit up in vibrant purples, greens, and pinks, and electric blues. This was her first time alone in the jungle at night.

Her ears twitched back as she heard a snap, and she spun around, bracing herself for a pack of jackals.

Topaz pushed palms fronds out of his way. He made eye contact with Katia, and thye both visibly relaxed.

"I was worried you had gotten lost, or worse." Topaz told her.

Katia straightened up. She was glad that Topaz had come to look for her; it had been a long time since someone cared that much, not including Mikhailov. "I am okay. I spoke vis ze Russian today. But he was telling me stories, and I fell asleep."

Topaz chuckled. "Nice going, Kat."

Katia laughed a little too, delighted to hear a rare laugh from Topaz. "Zhut up. He left only a few minutes ago. Did you zee Isobel today?"

Topaz shook his head. "No. I have not seen her since… When she told me she could never trust me."

"I'm zorry, Topaz." Katia's ears flattened. "Zhe will never come around willingly. I think…you know what this means."

Topaz crossed his arms, and looked down at the ground. The breeze that caught his fur brought with it sweet jasmine and dragonfruit flower scents. It reminded him of the princess he was meant to capture, like the dragon in a fairytale. But he did not want to be the dragon; he wanted to be the knight that could save her from Clopar. "I won't do it."

This elicited a sympathetic sigh from the Firebird. "Come on. We should go back to ze meeting place."

Topaz and Katia made their way back through the jungle in silence, while their choices weighed heavy on their hearts.

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Mikhailov knew that Isobel was supposed to be with the penguins as they had spent the evening together, but he only wanted to be sure she was still safe with them. He passed in to Madagascar, and instantly felt the change. In Talamaru, he felt anxious, on edge. In Madagascar, he only felt indifferent unless he was flying across its sky.

He strode down the beach and headed towards the Charley. The tide had come in, and with it sand dollars, conch shells, and seaweed, all of which caught the light of the moon.

Mikhailov came up alongside the Charley, and peered into the windows. He saw the penguins and Isobel huddled up, watching a movie.

Private and Rico were asleep, and it looked like Kowalski was well on his way too. Skipper had his flippers crossed. His eyes were staring at the screen, but it didn't seem like he was absorbing anything. Isobel had her knees pulled to her chest, with her elbows propped up on them. She was holding her head in her hands.

Mikhailov tapped on the glass with his beak, and Skipper and Isobel looked his way.

Isobel stood up and walked over to the door. She slid it open and hopped down onto the sand.

"Are you stayink here, Lady Aysobel?" Mikhailov asked her.

Isobel considered for a moment, and shook her head. "I'll come back with you."

She turned, and gave Skipper a good-bye wave. He did the same.

Isobel slid the door closed, and she and Mikhailov made their way along the beach.

The Firebird was quiet as he enjoyed his walk with his Rider, with a calming breeze and soothing waves crashing down on the shore. This was the most he'd felt at ease in days.

"Are you excited, my lady?"

"Hmm?"

"Vor the Celebration." Mikhailov reminded her.

"Oh." Isobel held her head up a little more as she folded her arms. She was exhausted with the day. "Yes, I am. I haven't seen one in so long."

Mikhailov nodded and looked down at the sand below his paws. "Do you…"

Isobel looked at him and waited.

Mikhailov sighed. "Vith this Celebration… Everyone ees vinding mate, yes? And, eet ees supposed to be vor Virebirds too. Do you think… Katia…"

The lemur smiled, as this was a side of Mikhailov she had yet to see. It was endearing. "You feel that way for her?"

Mikhailov nodded shyly. " _Da._ She ees… infuriating. But, she ees also sweet. Maybe ve go well together."

"Infuriating?" Isobel laughed. "That's not usually how you describe someone you like."

"I know." Mikhailov smiled. "But, theenk about it. You told me vhen you virst met Julien, he vas irritating. You did not like hees attitude."

A smile quirked the edges of Isobel's lips, and now it was her turn to be shy. "That's true."

"And now look, you two are the, uh, peas een a pod, yes?" Mikhailov chuckled. "Maybe Katia and I could be so lucky."

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Clopar stepped through the dense undergrowth of the jungle. Sunrise would be in a few hours, and he could hide when that time came. But for now, the jungle was his to roam.

He and the darkness were one.

He had told Topaz and Katia that he would not be back until the Celebration. And, to an extent, that was true; he would not see them until them. He had been away on a meeting trip with his… associates. But the trip was shorter than he had anticipated, and so now he was back in Talamaru.

Chimera had gone with him, but they split up once they reached Talamaru again. He would see her at the Celebration as well.

The jungle was coolest at this time of the night, when the mist settled in the canopy and along the floor. The bioluminescent plants were beginning to fade, as they needed solar energy again to make them bright.

Clopar was silent as he walked, hardly disturbing a leaf. He had a destination in mind.

Clopar was a solitary creature, and he had been since childhood. The village he had grown up in… Well, that was just the way things were. Parents of that particular tribe were not nurturing. There was no time for boyhood when the ultimate goal was to achieve warrior status. Even martyr status.

But Clopar had not done any of those things in the usual way. With his particular childhood, he had grown cold, calculating, and cunning. Everything he would need to pull the wool over the eyes of anyone who could be in the way of his plan; including the king of Atlantis.

And even the great Sheikh.

Clopar stepped out from the dens undergrowth and into a clearing. No plants grew here aside from the soft grass.

He inhaled sharply and walked towards the center. He circled around, staring at the ground until he could see the exact spot he was looking for.

 _There._

He got down onto the ground, feeling the grass with his hand. His hand went over a small bump, and he knew it was there.

The ruby that had cost his father's life.

Clopar paused for a moment. He could dig it up, easy as that. He could take it to the Man on the Mountain, and his father's shame could be lifted.

But no. He needed to wait for his plan to fall through. Then, this step could be taken.

Clopar closed his eyes, and brought his hands up to his face. He rubbed his eyes, and ran his hands over his head, smoothing back his ears as he inhaled again. His ears sprang forward again when he let them go.

He stood up, cleared his throat, and walked on again.

 **Confused? Sorry about that. :p You'll find out the story behind Clopar's scene soon. Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	42. In Vivid Colors

Chapter 42: In Vivid Colors

In the morning, Isobel awoke with a start. She had dreamed vividly, with swirling colors and images of a goddess-like creature. She was sure it had been Ellesmera, the protector of Talamaru, in her Firebird form. Her dream was beautiful, with no event being focused on; just lights, and clouds, and warmth. And yet there had been an air of sadness and longing. When she woke, it felt as though she had a hole in her chest.

She looked around herself and was confused for a moment at the surroundings and the close sounds of the ocean waves. But she remembered she and Mikhailov had decided to stay with Julien's people in Madagascar instead of going back to Talamaru.

This would be their day.

But first, Isobel knew she needed to see Julien. She had been neglecting him for a while. Not on purpose, but because she simply did not have the time. Now she had no plans for the day, aside from a flight with Mikhailov.

Isobel got up, and realized she had overslept. Mikhailov was already gone foraging, and all of the lemurs were going about their day finishing breakfast and working on little projects.

She found Julien with Maurice, and she smiled as she approached him.

He returned the smile, and he looked happy to see her there. "Good morning!"

"Good morning." Isobel gave Maurice a little wave, and he smiled.

"Hey, Julien, I'm gonna go see how those guys are doing setting up the stage." Maurice said to Julien.

"Stage?" Isobel asked as Maurice walked away.

Julien nodded and gave a little shrug. "The people are wanting to have a talent show. I was telling them all about your Celebration thingy and they wanted one too. But no one could be agreeing, and so, I decided, a talent show! Will you come?"

"Of course." Isobel smiled. "When is it?"

"That," Julien tapped his fingers together, "Eh, I do not know. No one can decide. So, it's either tonight, or next week, or something."

Isobel laughed quietly. "All right."

"So, what's up?" Julien asked. He was not uninterested, he just expected that she would tell him she had to do this and that and then leave for the whole day.

Isobel shook her head and stepped closer to him. "I just wanted to see you. I have not been spending time with you lately. I'm sorry."

"Oh, uh," Julien looked down at her, feeling glad and flustered at the same time, "I totally am getting it. You've been busy. And I know that you are still caring about me, like I am caring about you." He remembered what Maurice had told him earlier as he quoted him.

Isobel smiled, glad that he understood. "Come for a walk with me."

The two lemurs walked across the clearing and into the forest paths. They pointed out the big, blooming spring flowers along the path and even shyly held hands.

"I'll have to stay in Talamaru until the end of the Celebration." Isobel spoke up. "It's important that I'm there."

Julien nodded. "Okay. Do I get to stay too?"

"If _khal_ Ajihad allows it." Isobel explained. "I think he will."

Julien looked around. "So… I have to talk to him about us?"

Isobel looked at him. "Yes. If you don't, I'll have to go through the ceremony with the other girls. I have to tomorrow, but if you speak to him then, I will not have to the rest of the week. And, as part of the ritual, I cannot speak with you tomorrow. Not any male that is eligible."

"What?" Julien's ears pricked up. "The whole time? In Talamaru? But, then, what am I supposed to be doing? And I thought you said royalty didn't have to do it?"

"The penguins will be there." Isobel replied. "And so will Jack and Mikhailov. And royalty are exempt… If they are spoken for."

Julien sighed. "Fine, I will talk to your scary uncle."

"Thank you." Isobel smiled. "Oh, and, there is dancing as part of the ritual."

Julien lit up at that. "So you and I can dance at least?"

Isobel nodded. "Not the entire time. I have to…accept other invitations."

"Huh?" Julien did not like the sound of that. "Why?"

"It's part of the ritual." Isobel explained. She did not care for it, but it was tradition.

Julien crossed his arms. "I am not liking this Celebration anymore."

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Ajihad walked among the trees of the Talisman Jungle, pushing foliage out of his way as the feathers of his crown brushed across the broad leaves.

The jungle was quiet this morning, and the sun cast its glow warmly. This summer would be hot and stormy, or so the elders had predicted.

Ajihad had walked far. He was a couple of miles from the village. He needed solitude sometimes, to wallow in his thoughts and contemplate problems.

He came upon his favorite tree, which rested at the bottom of a hill leading to a cliff overlooking the sea. It was peaceful and had a spectacular view.

He had always thought, that when he died, he wanted this to be his final resting place.

Ajihad climbed the tree, balancing his neck right so as to keep his crown on. As the yellow, gold, and striped feathers fell back, it was evident that he too had twelve piercing in his ears; the instant sign of a sheikh or sheikrah.

But his piercings were different than his mother's or his sister's had been. Instead of hoops of precious metal, thin spikes made from wood and stone adorned his ears. They had been painful at first, the way they stretched his ears.

And yet that pain was dull compared to what he had felt in his heart.

He had become sheikh in the wake of tragedy. He was coronated the day after his sister's death. He had only been eighteen then, his biggest concern being courting Sequoyah, who was twenty at the time. Without her and his mother… He would not have reigned for long.

Ajihad settled in the crook of the tree, and reached into a hole in the trunk. He pulled out a pouch and a ceremonial pipe.

This was supposed to be used by sheikhs to communicate with the spirits when facing difficult challenges or war.

But for Ajihad, he had a purpose for it much dearer to his heart; this was how he could communicate with his sister.

Ajihad settled back against the tree. He inhaled once from the pipe, and closed his eyes.

He could see galaxies beginning to form behind his eyes.

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Skipper paced the inside of the Charley. He had slept rough, which made him grumpy with his team. He sent them on a mission to find flowers suitable to give to Sequoyah when they went to Talamaru. He knew it was an honor to be invited to the Celebration, and he figured they should bring something, but "Flowers for the lady" was all he could think of.

Skipper was facing a dilemma. He knew now that there was no way he was going to dig up the sacred earth in Talamaru for finances. That was not an option.

But now, he was not sure if he should press the button Alistair had given him to let them know, or just never push it and forget about the whole thing.

His pros for explaining the situation to the AG8 were that a) Alistair might understand the situation and call off the mission and b) Maybe they could still get some sort of funds.

But the AG8 was also governmental, elusive, and most importantly… highly suspicious.

Skipper did not trust Alistair entirely, but he and his operations seemed legit.

Still, Skipper did not think he would push the button.

He waddled over to the drawer where he kept the button, and removed it. To his confusion, and eventually worry, he noticed that the cover had been unlocked; the button had been pressed.

Skipper's eyes widened. Had he done this in his sleep? No one else had been in that drawer, at all. It had been locked…

Skipper realized he had just opened the drawer, without unlocking it. He ducked down, and saw that the lock had been busted.

He swallowed, sweat beginning to prickle the back of his neck.

"Skipper?" Kowalski had just stepped into the Charley. He saw his leader standing there, holding the button, a worried look etched across his face. "What happened?"

Skipper looked at him, and held up the device. "The button… It's been activated."

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Isobel and Julien had gone for a swim in the same pond that Isobel had found the pearl in when they first arrived.

They had a good time and enjoyed being with each other, forgetting entirely about the next day. For now, they could just be together.

They sat at the edge of the pond as they dried off and ate the fruit that hung from the trees around them.

Soon, they headed back to the clearing.

Along the way, Julien brought something up. "You know, I have not been seeing any Fossa around."

"No?" Isobel noticed it as well. "That is strange. They bothered your people all of the time."

Julien nodded. "Maybe Mik really did scare them off once and for all."

They approached Julien's little village, and saw Mikhailov playing with the lemur children, letting them swing from his antlers and giving them short rides on his back.

When Isobel approached him, he gave her a smile.

"Are you ready, my lady?"

Mikhailov said good-bye to the children, and he and Isobel went down to the beach.

The late afternoon sun beat down on the crystal white sand.

Mikhailov crouched down, waiting for Isobel to climb onto his back.

Isobel obliged, and once she was safely on his back, Mikhailov began to trot down the beach. He broke into a run, and began to beat his wings. Within a moment, they were airborne, leaving the beach behind. They soared around Madagascar, peering down at the canopy and lower flying parrots and other birds.

Mikhailov turned back towards the ocean, and flew higher and higher over the water.

The wind was ferocious up in the clouds, but Isobel only hunkered down, squinting her eyes as she held onto Mikhailov's feathers.

Mikhailov dipped down to a lower altitude so the wind was not so rough.

The sun was facing them, and it illuminated the cream clouds in a heavenly way. The deep blue water danced below them in sparkling waves.

Here was where true freedom was, above the earth and still below the clouds.

Isobel sat up, looking around them as the wind rustled her fur.

Slowly, she began to unfurl her fingers from Mikhailov's feathers. She closed her eyes, and spread her arms out as she leaned back, feeling the warmth of the sun spread across her chest.


	43. Must Be Code

Chapter 43: Must Be Code

Ajihad awoke from his stupor with a start. He clutched at his chest and gasped for air as he looked around himself.

He had not seen his sister as he had hoped, but instead many different ancestors, all telling him different things. Warnings, and horrifying truths rung in his ears clearly.

The sun was setting, and he needed to see Sequoyah.

Ajihad scaled down the tree quickly, and grabbed his bow and arrows that he had left at its base.

Every sound, every scampering creature in the forest canopy and on the ground startled Ajihad as they never had before. He felt like a young sheikh again, but not in a good way; he was frightened and unsure of what to do.

And the upsetting news he had been given did not help.

He ran all the way back to the village, only slowing once he saw the steady glow of cooking fires coming from his people.

He walked into the village as calmly as he could, as he did not want to alarm anyone. His eyes darted around, looking for his wife.

"Ajihad?" Sequoyah asked when he approached her. She could see how startled he was. "What's wrong?"

Ajihad said nothing, only directed her to come behind _nyumbani_ with him.

"Ajihad?" Sequoyah asked again as concern etched its way across her face.

Ajihad's words began to spill out all at once. "The ancestors, Sequoyah. They would not let me see my sister, they have spoken of things they foresee."

Ajihad's hands ran through his fur nervously and his eyes darted around so Sequoyah could not see them begin to water.

Sequoyah could gather by Ajihad's tone and despair that he had not been told good things, and she stepped forward to embrace her husband.

He wrapped his arms around her and she held him as his shoulders shook with his silent cries.

Sequoyah's heart ached as she stayed strong for her husband. He was a good sheikh, and had made many tough decisions for his people. After Niloufar had been killed, he had not ordered his people to go to war. He had said that enough blood had been spilled, and in this way, he saved them all.

He knew the enemy would have been much too powerful to defeat.

Ajihad calmed, and slowly, he moved away from Sequoyah. His cheeks were damp with tears, but sobs had stopped racking his body.

Sequoyah gave him a small smile of reassurance. "It will be okay. Will there be a drought this year? No harvest?"

The way the light in Ajihad's eyes dimmed as he shook his head made Sequoyah fearful. She knew it was much worse than anything she could imagine.

"No." Ajihad finally spoke. "But I know why the ancestors sent Isobel back to us."

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Skipper and Kowalski rummaged through all of the papers that Alistair had given Skipper in New York. They were looking for any information about how long it would take the AG8's team to arrive in Madagascar once the button was activated, but there was none.

"Well, I assume that if they pack properly and have a rather large entourage, they could be here within the next few days." Kowalski offered up.

Skipper tried to rub the stress and exhaustion from his eyes. "Right in the middle of the Ta'li celebration. I have a feeling they won't take too kindly to us not having what they want."

Kowalski shrugged. "They seem civilized enough. Surely they won't cause any trouble when we explain that our helicopter was broken into and the button was mistakenly activated."

Skipper looked down at the button again, and the smashed lock. "I don't know, Walski. Whoever did this knew what they were looking for."

"What is it, Rico?" Private asked as Rico sniffed around the floor. "Any scent of who could've been here?"

Rico straightened up and shook his head disappointedly. "Nuh uh."

"Hmm." Kowalski tapped his pen on his beak. "Professionals, then."

"But who?" Skipper wondered aloud. "No one knew about this except for us. Who'd you tell, Private?"

Private's eyes widened. "No one! I would nevah tell a secret like this."

Skipper sighed. "I'm sorry, Private. This is just making me all kinds of anxious. What if the friendlies decide to get hostile on Isobel's people? It would be our faults."

"Technically yours', Skipper." Kowalski reminded him. "You took the deal and kept that button in a pretty easy to access location."

"Whatever." Skipper turned back to the papers. He turned them over, and saw printed in bold letters, **OPERATION: MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN.**

"Man on the Mountain?" Skipper repeated quietly, puzzled.

"What does that have to do with a ruby, sir?" Private asked innocently.

Skipper shook his head. "Must be code. But all missions have code names. It's nothing to worry about."

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As the sun set, the creatures of the night set to work.

None were more loathsome than the lemur who roamed the dark undergrowth of the forest.

Clopar was as comfortable in the night as he was in his own skin. He had been trained to withstand much more than simple darkness.

His mind was aflame with the excitement over his plan and how close it was. He had not left one thread loose, and there would be no room for his plan to fail. Step by step, he would achieve his goal.

Talamaru would be his. And then Atlantis would fall into his hands as well, and the Firebird kingdom of Aleutia.

Everything he needed to assure his father's death would be avenged. Everything he needed to live forever.

He heard rustling in the plants along the jungle path, and he paused.

The rustling was replaced with cackling, and Clopar instantly knew what it was.

He had dealt with the diamond-backed jackals the first time he arrived in Talamaru, and he knew exactly how to get rid of them.

When the jackals jumped into sight, Clopar simply began his transformation, and turned into a three horned viper. He hissed and lunged out, making as much noise as possible.

The jackals did not challenge him, and they could practically smell the venom seeping from his fangs. They ran off back into the undergrowth.

Clopar chuckled, and morphed back into a lemur.

"Whoa, boss, never seen that before." Chimera jumped out of the tree above Clopar.

Clopar brushed himself off. "Did you get the serum?"

Chimera held up a vial of pink fluid and shook it, a devious gleam in her eye. "Obviously. The plan might not even work without it."

Clopar half smiled, and began walking on, Chimera trailing just behind him. He did not like how loud she spoke, as it was hard to hear everything else going on.

"But I don't know if I'll even need it." Chimera bragged. "How could the king resist _me_?"

"Believe it or not, Chimera, as idiotic as Julien is, he has impeccable standards." Clopar replied dryly as he looked up and around for any danger.

But he was not so worried about danger. He was the danger.

Chimera huffed and ambled along with Clopar.

"So, tell me again," she began, "Why do we need to break them up?"

The back of Clopar's throat burned, and his ears flattened. Chimera was always forgetting elements in the plan. "The less people involved, the better. I have no use for the Malagasy king. We have to keep him out of the picture and out of my way. Katia is simply a distraction for the Firebird, as he is constantly by Isobel's side. Topaz was supposed to win Isobel over long ago, but I think he has failed me in that. I will think of another use for him."

Chimera nodded. "Once I have the king… Do I kill him?"

Clopar shrugged. "As I said…Just keep him out of my way."

Chimera giggled as they stepped deeper into the forest.

 **More crazy information! I'm preparing for stuff to really take off, so watch out for details in upcoming chapters and please ask questions. Thanks for reading and please review! (:**


	44. Down by the River

Chapter 44: Down by the River

"Isobel."

"Hmm?" Isobel stirred from her sleep, and her eyes cracked open.

Julien smiled and stood up. "You're awake! Come on, the peoples are wanting to have their talent show!"

Isobel sat up and looked around. Mikhailov was grumpily waking up beside her, and Isobel could tell that it was clearly the middle of the night.

"Right now?" Isobel asked quietly as she began to stand.

Julien nodded excitedly. "They want to be showing it to you before you go to your fancy celebration."

Isobel smiled a little. She was exhausted, but it was a kind gesture from Julien's people that she did not want to turn down. She was happy that they liked her and wanted to share something with her.

Mikhailov sighed. "Okay, that ees very nice. But I vill stay right here. I can see stage vrom here, little bit. Have fun, Aysobel."

Isobel and Julien made their way to the tree where Julien usually perched to watch any shows the people would put on.

Mort was already waiting there, and he excitedly made room for the two.

"Talent show time!" Mort clapped enthusiastically.

Jack was also there, as Julien had gone all the way down the beach to invite him.

"Hey, Iz." Jack smiled at his sister.

"What're you doing here?" Isobel smiled back.

Jack shrugged. "I was just roaming the ship, and Julien came down to ask me if I wanted to see the show. I decided, why not?"

"Are you nervous for tomorrow?" Isobel asked knowingly.

Jack did not need to speak with Ajihad about Tira, but he did need to meet with her mother. He had never met her before. "Well, yeah. We'll see what happens."

"Her mother will like you." Isobel assured him. "She is tough, but reasonable."

Maurice walked across the stage and unfurled a scroll. He cleared his throat and began to read, "By permission of King Julien the Thirteenth, lord of the lemurs, we will hereby commence the new tradition of an annual talent show."

Everyone clapped and cheered as Maurice rolled the scroll back up. He held up his paw, and everyone quieted again.

"Now, you guys know the rules: No cheating, no throwing things on the stage, and _no fire._ I'm looking at you, Kenny."

There was a collective "aww" in the crowd, but Maurice knew how to get their spirits back up.

The aye-aye smiled broadly. "Alright, everybody, let's get started!"

Everyone cheered, and the lemurs in charge of the lighting set up the spotlight towards the stage.

Maurice called out everyone by name for their turn, and one by one, the lemurs came up on stage to show their talents.

There were many jugglers, a couple of magicians (though they were not very good), a comedian, and several dance troupes.

The comedian was not getting any laughs, except from Jack, who seemed to be the only one who liked his jokes.

The dancers were very coordinated, and the elaborate light shows just made them look that much more skilled.

The people were having a great time applauding and watching their fellow primates perform whether they were good or not.

Isobel especially liked the dancers, and she almost wished she could be dancing with them.

When they weren't clapping, Julien held Isobel's hand as she sleepily leaned on him.

He was nervous about having to speak with Ajihad in the morning, but he knew that he needed to. Besides, he loved Isobel, and they could be together once he got everything sorted out with her uncle.

The show lasted an hour, and once all of the contestants had had their turns, Maurice came back on stage and called all of the performers out.

In order to figure out who would win, he would hover his hand near a contestant, and judge the amount of applause they received.

The jugglers only had polite clapping, and the comedian was practically booed off stage because no one had understood his jokes.

"Oh, come off it." Jack folded his arms grumpily.

Finally, it was down between two dancing troupes, who were both nearly equal.

"Looks like we need a tie-breaker." Maurice declared. "Who should do it?"

Everyone chattered excitedly and waved their hands, and Julien stood up.

"It should be Isobel!" he proclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear. "This talent show is for her anyway, yes?"

The people agreed, and awaited Isobel's response.

Isobel looked between the two teams: One had elaborate costumes and were very glitzy, as it went along with their performance. The other team had not spent any time on costumes, and instead had put all of their effort into their routine. She decided they were most worthy.

She made her decision, and everyone cheered for the winners.

Soon, the people began dispersing and dismantling everything so they could get some sleep.

"Did you like it?" Julien asked Isobel as they climbed down from the tree.

Isobel nodded. "It was kind of your people to do this for me."

Jack came up beside Isobel and tipped his hat. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Isobel and Julien said goodnight to Jack, and Mort scampered away to find Maurice.

Julien turned to Isobel. "When will I see you tomorrow?"

"When you come with the penguins and Jack. And Mikhailov." Isobel replied. "Remember, I won't get to speak to you. Find Ajihad."

Julien nodded in understanding, and Isobel stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek before saying goodnight.

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It was finally the first day of the Celebration of Beginnings.

Isobel awoke early and headed straight to Talamaru. Instantly, as she entered the Talisman Jungle, she knew it was different. There was nowhere else on Earth like it, and the whole week in particular made that most clear.

Exotic flowers were in full bloom, sweet fragrances filled the air, bright lizards scampered across the forest floor, and the sky…The sky was a complete other thing to behold.

Isobel gazed up as the final blackness of the night disappeared to reveal a magnificent sunrise. And yet, the moon was still up high on the other horizon, and stars twinkled up above in the deep blue sky. The sky would change several times throughout the day.

She smiled as she thought about how much Kowalski would love this anomaly.

As Isobel got closer to the village, she smelled wonderful scents of food cooking.

The Ta'li people were aglow, everyone excited for the day to start.

Isobel saw that it was all women who were either already married or too young for the courtship cooking, as the eligible women were off getting ready down by the river.

Isobel skirted along the outside of the village and made her way down to the river.

All of the eligible girls were already there, washing off and preparing to get ready for the day.

Isobel spotted Aneza in the river. She stepped in, and the cool water washed over her feet, and was at her hips when she reached her friend.

Aneza smiled at her. " _Sat sri akaal._ I was worried you'd be late."

Isobel laughed and began scrubbing her arms and torso. "Where is Tira?"

Aneza gestured to the trees and a thin path between them. "She is in there. She was not feeling well when she woke up."

Isobel looked concerned. "Really? Did she tell Sequoyah?" She glanced over at her aunt, who was speaking with some other girls near the shore.

"No." Aneza shook her head. "She thinks it will pass. But it has been a little while."

"I'll check on her." Isobel said as she made her way to the other side.

She stepped out and walked in the direction that Aneza had pointed.

She did not notice that Chimera had been watching her from the river, where she bathed with a pair of other village girls whom she had befriended.

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"Tira?" Isobel called out softly as she stepped onto the path.

She did not see Tira, but she heard retching coming from the bushes. She went that way, and found her friend hunched over, obviously feeling very ill.

"Tira, what happened?"

Tira looked up at her. It was clear she had been crying, though Isobel was not sure if it was from getting sick or if she was upset over something else.

"Hey, Isobel." Tira said weakly. "I – I'm fine. Just something I a-"

She lost the contents of her stomach again, and Isobel sympathetically rubbed her back.

"Aneza said you've been sick. For how long?"

Tira shrugged as she sat down, holding her head. "Maybe a week. But only in the morning."

That caught Isobel's attention immediately. "Tira…"

Tira looked up at Isobel, and slowly her eyes widened. "No! You don't think-"

"It's not unreasonable." Isobel reminded her. "I'll bring Sequoyah, she can tell you for certain."

"Wait." Tira grabbed Isobel's wrist. "What about Jack? What will he say?"

Isobel looked at her friend, who was scared and anxious. "He cares for you, Tira. He is even planning on speaking with your mother today."

"Well, yeah. He has to now." Tira settled back down with a scoff.

Isobel smiled a little and went to get her aunt.

When she came back with Sequoyah, Tira was laying down, clearly exhausted from her rough morning.

Sequoyah gave her some water and had her sit up.

The medicine woman felt around her stomach and asked her a few questions.

Finally, Sequoyah stood up. "I have never had a child before, but I can tell when a woman is with one. You're pregnant, Tira."

Tira nodded, and looked down at her stomach. She laid her paw on it.

"Sequoyah, I… I am so sorry."

Sequoyah looked at her quizzically and squatted down to look her in the eye. Her translucent robe that looked like insect wings brushed across the ground. "There are no apologies. But it is time to be a woman now. You must speak with your mother, and of course your mate about this. Come, wash in the river, and then we will find your mother."

Isobel helped Tira up, and they talked softly as they trailed behind Sequoyah.

"Are you okay?" Isobel asked her friend.

"I don't know." Tira's eyes never left her stomach. "I am shocked, I think. But… I feel that I will love this baby."

Isobel smiled. "Of course you will. And you and Jack will be married. Which will make us –"

"Sisters." Tira's eyes brightened as she looked at Isobel happily. "And this… This will be your niece or nephew. How do you feel about being a _tia_?"

Isobel laughed quietly. "I can't wait."

 **Jack and Tira are having a baby! This is definitely one of the lighter chapters. Thanks for reading and please review.**


	45. Paths

Chapter 45: Paths

By the time the sun had completely risen, the penguins were up preparing to leave for Talamaru.

Skipper was feeling jittery, and not just because he had had too many cups of coffee.

Private was finishing up a flower arrangement for Sequoyah, and Kowalski was giving Rico things to gulp down that they might need later.

"Let's move out, team." Skipper instructed as he slid the door open.

Everyone hopped out onto the warm sand, and they saw Jack down the beach, having a friendly swordfight with his First Mate, O'Harty.

He and O'Harty were more focused on their fancy footwork than anything. They had sparred many times, and knew each other's moves like clockwork.

"I've seen my nana step livelier than that, Jack!"

"Well she's quicker than you then too!"

The penguins waddled down the beach closer to the sailors, and Jack smiled when he spotted them.

It was that same truly delighted smile that brought light to his eyes in a way that could assure others he had meant to smile, that he was not pretending. A smile that meant he hadn't a care in the world.

That everything was all right.

Jack ended his spar with O'Harty, and bid him an informal goodbye before he closed the distance between himself and the penguins.

"Good morning!" The rusty-furred lemur greeted them warmly as he sheathed his sword.

"Morning, Jack." Skipper replied, trying his best to act normal. He just could not get his mind off of the AG8.  
"Are you ready to go?" Private asked with a smile.

"Of course." Jack set his hat straight and looked towards the jungle. "Well, I've got to have a chat with Tira's mother. Not too keen on that, but it's only polite. You know how mothers can be."

The small group made their way up into the jungle to collect Julien on their way.

The lemur king greeted them excitedly, clearly ready to leave and see Isobel.

"Hello, neighbors! Come on, time is wasting, we have to be getting to the Celebration."

Jack circled around behind the penguins so he could walk beside Julien.

"Oy, aren't you supposed to speak with chief uncle today?"

"Sheikh." Julien corrected him. "Eh, yeah. If I do, he'll let Isobel and me be together."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked. "Together?"

"Like she can be my girlyfriend and no hot guys from her home can be asking her to marry them." Julien explained, and then added, "Only me."

Jack's eyes lit up. "Married? You're going to ask my sister that?"

"Well, uh, I already did a long time ago, but she said no." Julien shook his head and continued on. "But yes! Some other time."

"A wedding!" Jack smiled and threw his arm around Julien. "I love weddings."

"Me too!" Private, who was walking between Jack and Rico, piped up. "What about you and Tira?"

Jack let Julien go and looked ahead, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth. "We'll see about that, lad."

"Vhere are you going?!"

Everyone turned and saw an irritated Mikhailov trotting behind them.

He caught up with them and huffed, "I cannot believe you almost leave vithout me."

"Sorry about that, Mik." Skipper chuckled. "Guess we were too preoccupied with getting there."

"Ees okay." Mikhailov stepped in line beside Skipper as the group continued on. "I can't vait to see the party they have vor us."

"And also Miss Katia?" Skipper asked in a teasing tone.

Mikhailov frowned, but he begrudgingly told the truth. " _Da._ Eet ees a shame my antlers fell off already."

It was true; Mikhailov's majestic antlers had shed away, and he was left with jagged nubs that would smooth over again until next spring.

"She won't mind." Private assured him.

"Well, Private, statistically female Firebirds, according to what you have told me, do prefer impressive antlers on males." Kowalski noted out loud.

Private shot him a look, and Kowalski cleared his throat.

"You'll do fine, Mikhailov." He added quickly.

As the group made their way through the endless vines of jasmine into Talamaru, they looked up collectively, and were left in awe.

The sky was a vibrant, strawberry red with golden hued stars faintly dotting the way. Wispy clouds floated softly across the impossible sky.

Everyone thought it fantastic, except for Jack, who tapped his fingertips on the pommel of his sword.

Private looked back at him, noticing his discontent. "What's wrong, Jack? It's beautiful!"

"…red in the morning, sailors' warning." Jack spoke quietly to himself before looking at Private. "It's bad luck." He said dismissively as he continued walking.

Skipper raised his eyebrow. "Didn't realize you were one for superstitious nonsense, Jack."

Jack glanced back at him, a smile only in his eyes. "I'm a pirate, mate."

That was enough of an answer, and the group continued on their way.

As lovely and yet ominous as the sky was, the jungle had much more to offer. Flowers were in full bloom, bright and beautiful and sweet smelling, and they attracted harmless bees and flies to pollinate them. Birds of every color chirped away and displayed their luxurious feathers shamelessly in hopes of attracting a mate. Butterflies larger than anyone's heads and as colorful as kites rested on tree trunks or on sturdy flower petals.

Usually, the group would be on high alert for predators or wary natives, but today held a calm air that soothed even Mikhailov.

And _that_ set Skipper's nerves on edge. He even began to wonder if Jack's prediction would hold true, that the AG8 would swoop in, rip the ruby from the earth and –

Skipper shook his head. He couldn't believe he was letting himself buy into nonsense like that. The AG8 were diplomats, he had nothing to worry about.

The group came upon the bustling village, and the first person that greeted them was Tira. She had a shawl around her as though she were cold, even though there was hardly a chill in the jungle.

"Tira." Jack smiled. "I thought you'd be getting ready."

Tira gave him a small, almost embarrassed smile. This was highly unlike her, as she was always so boisterous. Everyone noticed right away.

Tira reached out and took Jack's hand, leading him off to the side.

"What's her deal?" Skipper asked.

Rico shrugged, and Julien stepped beside Skipper.

"De women cannot be speaking with us today. It's a stupid rule." He explained. "But whatever, come on."

"I am going to look vor Katia." Mikhailov announced as he split from the group.

The village was alive with people setting up for the festivities, returning with baskets of food from either the ocean or the jungle, and young children playing with each other and running between the busy adults.

"Should we greet the sheikh right now, Skipper?" Kowalski asked.

Skipper nodded. "We'll do that and then leave him and Ringtail alone."

They looked across the village clearing and saw the sheikh pacing around, Sequoyah unsuccessfully trying to get him to stop.

Skipper thought it looked as though it might have been best to hang back, but Julien kept going, and so they followed without a choice.

"Great sheikh!" Julien proclaimed, arms outstretched. "We are here to be joining your Celebration."

Ajihad whipped around, at first only staring at Julien.

Skipper noticed immediately that even the feathers in Ajihad's headdress appeared to be stiff with anxiety and stress. But after a moment, as Ajihad visibly settled, so did the feathers.

Ajihad smiled at Julien, and welcomed him and the penguins up onto the royal dais.

Sequoyah gracefully stood up from her throne, and Private happily offered up the bouquet of flowers he had arranged.

"Thank you for inviting us. It looks lovely."

"Thank you." Sequoyah said quietly and with a light smile. She gave the flowers to a helper who added them to the arrangements already adorning the queen's throne.

The penguins exchanged diplomatic greetings with the sheikh, and then Sequoyah directed them back down into the village.

"We have prepared a morning feast for you." She said as she escorted them to one of the many tables. "Please, sit."

The tables were low, and required no chairs. Instead, the penguins sat on soft blankets. The top of the table was covered in white fabric, and each penguin had a wooden plate in front of him. There were also settings for when Jack, Julien, and a couple others could join them later.

Right away, young lemur girls with jugs of fruit juice and lemur boys with heavy plates appeared at their tables.

Each penguin received a small jug of juice, and their plates were filled with fruits like figs and pineapple, as well as indigenous Ta'li fruit like an Ambrosia berry; small, fresh whole fish and crab legs; jasmine rice; and banana leaf strips were given to them should they like to wrap their food with it.

Rico started cutting up his fish and rolling it up in the banana leaf strips with rice, ultimately making his own variation of a sushi roll.

Kowalski and Private both tasted the juice they had been given at the same time.

The flavors of berries and pears and a nectar they could not quite put their flippers on exploded on their tongues, and they agreed it was one of the best drinks they'd ever had.

Skipper liked the juice, but what he really wanted was –

"Coffee?" A serving girl asked him sweetly.

Skipper looked over as the girl held out a steaming cup of coffee. The cup was rather small, but he assumed he would be able to ask for a fill up.

"Thanks." Skipper smiled, raising the cup to the servers before taking a big gulp.

Immediately, he regretted it. His eyes bugged out, and his team looked at him worriedly. Skipper glanced over at the staff, who were looking at him hopefully. He dutifully downed the coffee.

"Holy MacArthur's momma!" Skipper coughed afterwards, slapping his flipper down on the table.

"Is there something wrong with it?" the serving girl asked timidly.

"No it's good!" Skipper said a little too loudly. "Perfect!"

The serving girl did not mind, and smiled. "It helps the digestion. We will come back later to see if you need anything."

The servers left, and the team asked Skipper what was wrong with the coffee.

"Pure espresso beans." Skipper announced, gazing into the small cup. "Nothing like the joe at home. I won't be needing a second cup."

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Tira had led Jack to a small clearing away from the village and all its noise.

"What's wrong, love?" Jack asked, a hint of concern in his voice. "I know you can't talk to me until I speak to your mother, but –"

"Jack." Tira finally spoke.

Jack was silent immediately, and waited for her to continue.

Tira glanced down at her feet, wrapping the shawl around her tighter.

She sighed audibly and placed her hands on her hips before settling them back over her stomach.

" _Estoy embarazada._ "

Jack glanced up and smiled. "I don't know Spanish, Tira."

Tira waved her hand up. "Never mind, I'll teach you more later, so… So our baby can learn too."

Jack nodded. "Right. Wait." He did a double take at Tira, this time really looking at her. "Say that again."

Tira smiled. "I'm pregnant, Jack."

"Ha!" Jack covered his smiling mouth excitedly. He was shocked, but clearly excited, and Tira laughed in relief.

Jack took off his hat and ran his fingers through his fur. "Pregnant. Pregnant, Tira!"

He put his hat back on and swept Tira up, giving her a quick kiss before setting her back down.

"Is this why you have the shawl?" He moved her arms away from her stomach. "Are you hiding a softball in their already?"

"No, _estupido_!" Tira playfully slapped his hands away. "I just found out this morning. No, my mother thinks I'm going to get a chill and upset the baby."

Jack nodded, clearly still shocked and excited. But reality set in, and his eyes widened. "Your mother! I – how? How am I supposed to talk to her now?"

Tira smiled. "You'll do fine! She was happy when I told her, she just really needs to meet you. And my brothers too."

"Brothers." Jack sighed as they began walking back to the village. "Of course."

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Ajihad and Julien had walked away from the royal dais and down a secluded path.

Julien had already spilled everything to Ajihad, and anxiously awaited his reply.

Ajihad began to nod, contemplating everything Julien had told him. "You love my niece?"

Julien nodded vigorously. "Yes. She will be making the best queen anyone has ever seen. Um, except for Queen Sequoyah, obviously."

Ajihad glanced at him, only a small smile on his face. "It's more than that. You will love her… No matter what happens?"

Julien thought this an odd question. "Well, yes. I don't really know what would happen though."

"And help her watch over my people… When the time comes?"

Now Julien was getting weirded out. Ajihad was usually one for keeping it light, but something was clearly bothering him.

Julien decided, out of nervous habit, to try and lighten the situation himself. "Of course! But, who are we even kidding now? That won't be for forever! Am I right?"

Ajihad noticeably bristled, but he nodded quietly.

The two kings stopped as Ajihad looked down a dark trail. Julien did not want to go in there, as it looked way too creepy.

"I will allow it." Ajihad looked at Julien, his emerald eyes serious and even pleading. "I think Isobel will be happy beside you. Go back to the village and join the others. I have to speak with someone."

Julien watched, concerned, as the sheikh journeyed onto the dark path, fading from view.


	46. Pomegranate Seeds

**Hey, guys! Sorry it has taken so long to update. I started school and stuff and on top of that I've had tons of writer's block. But now i have a nice long chapter for you all. I hope you enjoy it!**

 **P.S. I did change the story title to just 'Splendid Suns'.**

Chapter 46: Pomegranate Seeds

Bright fabric fluttered around in the sunlight and subtle breeze.

The young women had emerged from the river, and each one was picking her own colorful sash for the day. The sashes would be used in dances later on.

Aneza pulled a purple and rosy gold sash from a pile, and held it up to herself.

"What do you think?"

Isobel looked over at her friend and nodded. She pulled a red sash with golden tips from the same pile.

"And this one for me?"

Aneza smiled. "Perfect."

Isobel reached up to gently twist her hoop earring, but she remembered it was no longer there.

All of the girls had switched out their usual earrings for ones provided by Sequoyah. They were all earrings that had been used over the years by girls during the First Day of the Celebration, and they would return them for their own earrings once the day was done. Each set of earrings were either sparkling gems or creamy pearls of different shades.

Sequoyah had given Isobel three pairs of earrings for her six piercings, and they were now black pearls, white diamonds, and yellow topazes, from bottom to top.

Aneza's pretty amethyst earrings sparkled in the sun as she adjusted her sash around her waist.

Isobel spread hers out across her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Chimera was glancing over at Isobel as she adjusted her own sash while the two other girls she was with aimlessly chattered on.

Chimera's ears were not pierced, and to her distaste, Sequoyah had fixed that problem by piercing them herself.

Chimera grumpily reached up to rub her now sore ears, which held two pinkish pearl studs. She actually quite liked them, and decided she probably would not return them.

"Don't you think so, Chim?"

The female lemur turned to her friend. "What?"

"Today will be fun!" The small female said excitedly. "I can't wait to see what happens."

A small smile came upon Chimera's face. "Oh, it won't be anything like you expect."

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Jack followed along beside Tira, happily glancing at her every now and then.

 _A baby._

He couldn't wait to tell the crew, and he wondered if Tira would object to O'Harty being the godfather.

"Jack," Tira spoke as the came upon the village and walked towards a family of lemurs.

This was clearly Tira's family. " _Este es mi familia_."

Jack looked away from Tira and towards her family: A young woman, probably Tira's older sister, held a baby in her arms. To her left stood who appeared to be her husband. He gripped a bow in his hand. To the right was a pair of twin teenage boys poking fun at each other in Spanish; obviously the brothers Tira had been speaking of.

And, front and center of it all, stood Tira's mother.

Her arms were crossed, and she squinted at Jack as he approached.

"That's my mother, Maria." Tura whispered to Jack.

Maria may have been smaller than Tira, but the way she bore fire into Jack's eyes made him slightly fearful.

He and Tira stood in front of the matriarch while everyone watched.

" _Ello es tu esposo futuro?_ " Maria nodded towards Jack.

" _Si, mama."_ Tira looked annoyed. "Please speak English. Jack doesn't understand Spanish."

"But I will work on it." Jack interjected.

Maria only raised an eyebrow at Jack before setting her deep brown eyes back on Tira. " _El padre de mi nieto futuro no habla Español? Ios mio."_

The twins chuckled quietly at Jack, and Tira shot them a look.

Maria sighed and turned her attention back to Jack. "Jack."

"Maria." Jack doffed his hat and gave her a sweeping bow.

He looked at her hopefully when he came back up.

"You love my daughter?" Maria's Spanish accent was thick, but Jack was all ears.

"Very much." Jack spoke quietly as he took Tira's hand beside him.

"And this child," Maria gestured to Tira's belly, "You will always be here for them?"

Jack nodded. "Of course. I couldn't be happier."

Tira squeezed his hand appreciatively.

"Tira has told me plenty about you." Maria confided. "You're a man of the sea. Will you give that up?"

Before Jack could sputter out a hasty _No,_ Tira scoffed.

" _Mama,_ I don't want him to do that." She said. "He loves it. And I do too."

Maria's features softened a little. "I don't want him to run away from us."

Tira laughed and she looked at Jack. "He won't."

Maria's eyes sparkled, and Jack knew that was as close to a smile as he would get from her for now.

"Come." Maria gestured with her hands outstretched to Jack. "You are a part of this family now, so come meet your relatives."

Jack met Tira's sister, Elena, first. She was surprisingly quiet, but Jack had a feeling it was only because they had just met. Elena's husband, Azzam, was Ta'li, and it had taken Ajihad's approval and speaking with Ta'li ancestors to let them be married. He was quiet as well, but it was his nature to be so. Their baby, Tira's nephew, was called Hakim. He was swaddled up in a green blanket of soft fabric.

Hakim began to squirm and fuss in Elena's arms, and instantly, Tira's younger brothers, who were seventeen, pushed past Jack and rushed up to Elena.

" _Mi sobrino!"_ The first one, Francisco, said exaggeratedly. He stared down at Hakim's round, soft brown eyes. "What's the matter, who did it?"

"Move, Cisco!" The second, Javier, shoved his brother out of the way as he scooped Hakim from Elena's arms. "He wants his _tio_ whose name also begins with ' _ha_ '."

Elena and Tira both rolled their eyes at their little brother.

"Don't drop him, Javier." Elena warned.

"Yeah, like _mama_ dropped you when you were a baby, _estupido._ " Francisco danced around Javier.

"Quiet!" Javier gave his brother and sister a false stern look.

Javier's drama was quite entertaining to Jack, from a distance.

Javier looked back down to Hakim. "Hush little _tonto_ , don't say a word, _tio_ Javier who is smartandhandsomeandpopular is gonna shield you with his awesomeness!"

" _You're_ being an _idioto_." Tira came up and gently pried Hakim from Javier's arms. She looked down tenderly at the infant.

"Aw, c'mon, sis!" Javier whined. "Don't you want me to practice for your little _niño_?"

"You?" Tira raised her eyebrows. "Please! You're not even gonna be allowed to breathe on him."

"Him?" Jack asked expectantly.

Tira glanced at him with a shy smile. "Well, I don't know. I just figured I'd call it 'he' for now."

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The girls at the river were preparing to leave for the village, and were making last minute touches such as dabbing on scented oils and sliding bangles onto their wrists.

Their day would be busy, as firstly they would be bringing in heavy baskets of rare fruits for the midmorning meal. They would serve it to each table, and would not eat until everyone else had.

Then, there would be a skills display, in which each girl would be allowed to show off any of her skills. Weaponry skills were usually shown, as this was considered more valuable than singing or dancing, which were more for fun and entertainment.

And, the most anticipated part of the day would be the evening, which would be free to dancing, and even courting, although they still could not speak to anyone eligible the entire day.

"Are you ready?" Aneza asked Isobel as she balanced her basket of fruit on her head.

Isobel hoisted up her own and placed it on her head. She balanced it with her right hand, and her bangles jangled against each other. "Let's go."

All of the girls lined up, with Sequoyah leading them. They began their walk through the jungle and towards the village.

Along the way, Chimera set down her fruit basket, and slipped into the dense forest without being noticed.

Isobel looked up at the tree canopy, and saw macaws flying up into the scarlet sky.

Her ears laid back for a moment, as Jack had always recited the old pirate superstition to her of red skies in the morning being ill-fated.

But the scarlet was beginning to unfold to a deep, sparkling purple. Isobel shook her head, and looked back in front of herself.

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Mikhailov found Katia strolling alone on the forest path. It looked as though she had already been on her way to the village, but Mikhailov was glad he caught her by herself first.

Katia looked up and met Mikhailov's gaze.

" _Bonjour,_ Mikhailov." She smiled coyly.

"Katia." Mikhailov approached the smaller Firebird. "Leesten."

Katia stopped before him and peered at him, waiting for him to continue.

Mikhailov cleared his throat. He could be very straight forward. "I may have been cold to you before, but I do care vor you. I even like you. Vould you like to walk to the village vith me?"

Katia smiled shyly, and felt a blush creep to her cheeks. "Yes. I would."

"Okay." Mikhailov's smile was full of relief, and he stepped alongside Katia.

The pair walked on, and Katia glanced at Mikhailov beneath her eyelashes. She loved how confidently he walked, how he scanned everything around them with such a carefree turn of his head, and, most importantly, how safe he made her feel by simply being there.

She sighed quietly, and wondered how Topaz was faring.

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Back in the village, all of the tables that had been prepared were filled up. Happy chatter wafted in the air, and Sheikh Ajihad appeared from the forest to take his seat up on the dais.

Skipper looked around, and noticed that Mikhailov had come back with Katia.

They were standing to the side, and looked to be quite happy with one another.

 _Good for him._ Skipper thought with a small smile.

Julien had joined them at the table, and he and Private spoke excitedly about all the décor and how they couldn't wait to see what was in store for the day.

Kowalski was sipping on some coffee, as he actually taken quite a liking to this strong Ta'li drink. Rico was playing with his chopsticks as he waited impatiently for more food.

Skipper looked over to his left and noticed that Jack was coming towards their table, a happy smile plastered to his face.

As soon as Jack sat down, everyone looked to him, as they could tell by his expression that he had something good to reveal.

"Well, boys." Jack propped his elbows on the table and leaned in. "Ol' Jack Starling is going to be a father."

There was a mix of "Congratulations!" and "How wonderful!", as well as a celebratory whistle from Rico.

"Is that what was wrong with Tira?" Private asked.

Jack nodded. "But no need to worry, everything has been sorted out. I met her family. We haven't set a date for a wedding though."

"A wedding?" Private's face lit up. "I love weddings!"

"As do I." Jack smiled. "I'll have to ask Tira what she thinks."

"Well you have to propose." Private began getting a dreamy look in his eyes. "It has to be romantic! And sweet! And – "

"Leave the man alone, Private." Skipper chuckled. "I think he had it figured out already."

Jack laughed. "Yes, I think I have it sorted."

Julien looked away, beginning to not like the conversation. But his spirits were lifted instantly once he saw that the girls were beginning to pour into the village.

"Look, everybody!" He announced happily.

The whole table turned their attention to where Julien was looking, and smiles lit up their faces.

All of the girls looked lovely, with their colorful sashes waving around and the sweet scented oil that was on their fur reached everyone's noses. Village musicians began to play, and everyone's already good moods were lifted further.

Julien scanned for Isobel, and once he saw her, his eyes locked onto her as she approached their table with her basket. She had placed her red sash across her ears, just as she had when they first met in Atlantis.

"Good morning, Isobel!" Private said in a chipper manner. "You look lovely."

Isobel only gave him a smile as she moved her basket from her head to her arms. She lowered it down to the table, and topped everyone's plates with shiny, red pomegranate seeds. Her jasmine fragrance filled the air around them pleasantly.

When Isobel came close to Julien to fill up his plate, he said quiet as he could, "I was talking to your uncle, and he told me it's totally fine! You're free!"

Isobel glanced at Julien, and he waited for her for her to respond.

But instead, she leaned down to whisper in Skipper's ear, as he was sitting next to Julien.

Her scented scarf brushed his face while she spoke, and he nodded every now and then.

Isobel straightened back up after she picked up her half-empty basket from the table.

Skipper looked at Julien. "She says that she won't be able to stop participating until tomorrow, like she mentioned before."

"Oh, right." Julien remembered.

"And the reason she can talk to me and not you is because… Well, you already." Skipper finished.

"Yes, right." Julien nodded. "Eligible peoples only, I know."

Skipper cleared his throat and looked down at the pomegranate seeds. "Thanks, Isobel."

Everybody chimed in with that, and Isobel smiled once more at Julien before she continued on to the next table.

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Chimera reached up to feel the smooth pearls in her ears once more as she went to the meeting place. She was annoyed with the sash cinched at her waist as it was in her way, and even more bothered by the patchouli perfume she was wearing. But she knew it would not be for long.

She pushed the tall grasses out of her way, and stepped into the clearing that Clopar had designated their meeting place.

He and Topaz were already there. Topaz was sitting down, restringing his bow.

He glanced up at Chimera. He would have complimented her, if she were not so eager to complete her mission that night.

"Is everything in order?" Clopar asked Chimera.

"So far so good, boss." Chimera replied. "Everyone is at the village right now. The day won't have any problems. And I didn't see Katia, so she must be with that Firebird already."

"Good." Clopar said more enthusiastically than usual.

Topaz's ears flattened back for a moment. Clopar absolutely disgusted him.

"I have transferred some of the serum to a smaller vial." Clopar handed Chimera a vial of the pink fluid that Chimera had had in a bigger bottle before. "Do you have the sample?"

"Right here." Chimera removed a couple of hairs from her sash.

Topaz looked up at the two lemurs. "What is that?"

"Isobel's fur." Chimera answered nonchalantly.

"How did you get it?" Topaz asked. This whole thing was so wrong.

"Don't worry, lover boy, we all brushed our fur after bathing in the river, so I just picked up the brush she used." Chimera rolled her eyes. She looked back at Clopar. "Is this enough?"

"Perfectly." Clopar nodded. He folded his hands behind his back. "I knew I could be confident in you, Chimera."

Chimera smiled wickedly as she opened up the vial. She dropped the hairs in and shook it up. She placed the vial carefully in the folds of her sash and turned her attention back to Topaz. She would be borrowing his bow for the day, and he had been preparing a few arrows that had similar fletching to Isobel's own arrows.

Chimera picked up an arrow and examined it. "Not bad. How long did it take you to memorize her stuff?"

Topaz finished stringing the bow, and he stared hard at it, as though he could disappear into the wood.

"One day."


	47. I Trust You

Chapter 47: I Trust You

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Leave it alone, Sequoyah."

Sequoyah sighed sharply through her nose. Ajihad would not tell her what had been revealed to him at the Sacred Tree, even though it troubled him so.

Ajihad looked at her, his green eyes void of their sparkle. He was usually of good humor, and he loved the Celebration. But there was none of that usual charm today.

"When you are ready, then." Sequoyah stepped down from the dais, her small, violet-feathered crown quivering behind her.

Ajihad sighed and rested his chin on his palm. His crown felt heavy, the feathers that extended outwards so magnificently seemed to be pulling him to the ground.

He watched his people, saw how they thrived, and a small shiver went down his back.

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Sequoyah had rounded up all of the girls and taken them to the large clearing where archers usually practiced. This was where they would demonstrate their skills.

Villagers streamed in as the girls prepared themselves.

Isobel had moved her sash from her ears to around her waist so it would not be in the way.

She tested her bowstring and checked to see that all of her arrows were in good shape.

When she was satisfied, she looked up, and saw Chimera testing her own bow as well.

Isobel tapped her fingers on her bow, and scanned the whole clearing, making sure not to miss one face. But there was no Clopar, or Topaz, in sight.

She relaxed a little at this, but she still found it odd that Chimera was there. But, she had never really spoken to Chimera before, or had any reason to distrust her. Tira and Aneza had told her they had seen Chimera with Clopar and Topaz, but perhaps she was more Topaz's friend that Clopar's.

She sighed, and decided to stop being so paranoid.

Sequoyah was pairing up girls to compete with one another, and Isobel was waiting her turn. Most of the girls were also archers, but some were swordswomen.

Isobel thought Jack would have enjoyed watching them, but he was with Tira again. Tira was good with the sword, and it made Isobel smile to think of her and Jack sparring each other.

Perhaps she could convince them to do that soon.

Soon, Sequoyah called out Isobel's name.

Isobel stepped into the clearing and looked into the audience, where the penguins and Julien were giving her small waves of encouragement.

She smiled, and then faced her opponent.

Chimera smiled back at her. But it was no sincere smile, and looked even a little demented.

Isobel's ears flattened back for a moment. But she turned to face the target that had been mounted on the tree twenty or so feet from her. In the bullseye was a small, purple fruit that would splatter enough for all to see if she hit it.

Chimera's target looked the same. She went first, and carefully reached for an arrow that was her own, and not one that looked like Isobel's. Those would be useful for later.

She nocked her arrow, and carefully pulled back the string.

Isobel watched her form, and she realized that that was the same stance Topaz held when he practiced archery.

 _So he has been teaching her_ , she thought. _But what for?_

Chimera let the arrow fly, and the purple fruit in the middle splattered its juice all over the target.

She gave Isobel a smug look while the people applauded her.

However, Isobel was undeterred, and she nocked her own arrow. She steadied the string, and took aim at the fruit, splattering it as well.

But before anyone could decide she and Chimera had equal skill, Isobel quickly retrieved and nocked another arrow. She aimed it into the trees, and released her arrow.

Everyone watched as a purple fruit that had been hanging high in the tree landed on the ground, with an arrow straight through it.

The applause was certainly louder than Chimera had received, and she glared at Isobel, who gave her a haughty look in return.

Isobel walked back to join Aneza, who congratulated her.

"What made you think to do that?" Aneza asked her. "That was great!"

Isobel smiled sheepishly. "It was arrogant of me to do it. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't entertaining to get rid of her smirk."

Aneza giggled. "I don't blame you. Tira would be proud."

The two girls sat down on some flowering moss, and waited for the competition to be finished.

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Topaz knew he would not be needed until the evening, and so he decided to venture out on his own.

He had memorized some paths in the Talisman Jungle, and felt comfortable walking along them. Chimera had his bow, and he had left his dagger at the meeting place. But it was no matter, as he would not need either where he was going.

The path he strode down began to slope and grow darker, as daytime plants were replaced by vibrant, bioluminescent foliage. Soon, the path ended and it became a soft drop.

He gazed out at the glowing Sacred Tree, and he was filled with wonder once again.

He had been here before, and had even stepped into the swaying tendrils of the tree. It had not changed color much, and he had felt his entire being steady, as though they calmed each other.

But as he stepped down onto the sacred ground, the tree began to change, the purple growing deeper. He paused for a moment to be sure he had not upset it, and then continued on. He kept coming, and was planning on walking between the tendrils again, when a calm yet strong voice commanded him, _Stop._

Topaz instantly halted about fifteen feet from the tree, waiting for further instruction. But there was none, and he sat down on his knees.

A breeze picked up in the clearing, and Topaz felt warm as it swirled about him. He closed his eyes, and the breeze began to pick up into a wind.

He looked at the tree, and was shocked to see it turning gold. The wind picked up even stronger, and the tree grew brighter.

Topaz began to squint and cover his eyes against the light and the gale, until finally he threw himself onto the ground to protect his head from it all.

He stayed that way even as the wind began to subside back into a breeze, and then to nothing. He breathed hard with fear.

"Topaz."

He ceased to breathe, as that had been the first voice, but this time much softer.

Slowly, he brought his head up to see the source, and he was left awestruck.

A beautiful female Firebird, with a snow leopard's coloring and piercing sapphire eyes climbed down from the Sacred Tree. The light was bright and all throughout the clearing, but as she emerged from the tree, the violent light dimmed to a golden glow.

Topaz did not sit up, even as the Firebird approached him. Clopar had explained to him a little of Ta'li traditions and beliefs. He knew who this Firebird was, but he did not dare say her name.

"Topaz." She called him by name again. "Look at me."

Topaz carefully sat up, and looked her in the eyes. It felt as if he were looking into the sun, but could not look away.

The female regarded him up close. Her presence was both awe-inspiring and comforting; at least for him at this time.

"Do you know me?" She asked. Rows and rows of silver earrings lined her ears, and a thin headpiece showcasing a large sapphire graced her head.

Topaz blinked and looked down. He nodded.

The female's tail twitched, and she stood tall. "It is all right to address me."

Topaz looked back up at her. "You are Ellesmera. But, how do you know me?"

Light danced in Ellesmera's eyes, and she tilted her head slightly. "I know all of the Earth's creatures by name. Good and evil; I have seen them all before in paradise. I have seen you many times, Topaz."

Topaz's brow furrowed, but before he could ask any questions, Ellesmera continued to speak as she looked down at him.

"I am the guardian to all animals. The human realm is not in my control. When animals pass away, I guide their souls to Paradise; or otherwise." She shifted on her paws. "But not all souls stay in Paradise long. Some reincarnate, like you have."

"How many times?" Topaz asked, hoping she would answer.

Ellesmera gave him a smile, and she settled down onto the ground. "Do you remember why I sent you here?"

Topaz shook his head, but he felt as though he should know.

Ellesmera crossed her paws, as though readying herself for a long talk. "Listen closely, Topaz; I will tell you everything."

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The day passed on with more feasting and just relaxing for everyone, except for the girls who were participating in the Celebration. They only had time for quick snacks and to sit down for a few minutes. But they were all looking forward to the dance in the evening, and for tomorrow, when it would be their turn to be entertained by the men.

"Jeez, I didn't know they'd be feeding us all day." Skipper sat back, his stomach overly-full. "Now _that_ was what I'd call a buffet."

"You said it." Julien agreed.

It would now be time to fast for the rest of the day so no one would be too full for evening festivities.

Some of the villagers went on short walks, others went to take naps, and some just relaxed at their tables.

Rico passed out at the table, Private spoke to passerby, Kowalski jotted down some notes on the cultural side of the Celebration, and Skipper leaned his head on his flipper.

He was not bored, as he thought the day fun; enchanting even. If he used words like that. But thoughts of the AG8 still swam around his head, and he ran scenarios through his head of the AG8 swarming into Talamaru and destroying everything. All for the sake of one ruby.

Julien tapped his fingers on the table and sighed.

Skipper glanced over to him. "What's eating you, Ringtail?"

"I am wanting the party to start already!" Julien exclaimed. "And I wonder what my peoples are doing without me. They are probably bored out of their monkey brains."

"Probably." Skipper said, absentmindedly.

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Topaz closed his eyes against the rush of wind that blew through the clearing once Ellesmera climbed back up into the tree. The tree was bright, and then a soft purple once more when she was completely gone.

Topaz stood up unsteadily. He could not believe everything Ellesmera had told him. And yet, he knew every word of it was true.

He took a shaky breath, and quickly wiped away a single tear.

Everything made sense to him now, and he now knew what he needed to do.

His destiny depended on it.

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Across the village, among some shrubs, all of the girls were lounging and fanning themselves in the grass. They reapplied scented oils and some put on ankle bracelets so they would jangle even more while they danced.

Within a couple hours, the sun had set, and fires and torches were lit around the village. The tables were all moved out of the way so there was plenty of room to dance.

A bonfire was constructed in the center so everyone could dance around it.

The girls streamed out from the jungle, singing a song in unison as they danced about the fire. They twirled their sashes and threw back their heads while the people watched, mystified by their fluidity and beauty.

When they were finished, the girls rushed into the crowd to pick a man to dance with.

The musicians struck up a song with their native instruments, and couples took their places beside the firelight.

Isobel found Julien, and she smiled broadly as she threw her sash around him, pulling him out to dance with her.

New and old couples shared the space, while those without partners stayed back and watched.

Isobel had usually asked Skipper to dance in the past, but he knew this was special, so she would have to stick to Julien and Ta'li dance partners.

Julien and Isobel kept their eyes locked onto each other's, and he was transfixed on the golden flecks that appeared in her eyes when she got close to the fire.

Halfway through the first song, when Julien had gotten the hang of dancing to Ta'li music, everyone abruptly switched partners.

Isobel swirled away from him to trade places with Aneza.

Julien didn't mind having to dance with Aneza, but he would have preferred they not have to switch at all.

From the trees, where no one could see her, Chimera peered out into the dancing crowd.

She saw Julien dancing with Aneza, and knew it was her perfect chance. Quickly, she removed the vial filled with pink fluid, and drank it all in one go.

She watched her dusty-rose paws fade to black, her nails grow out slightly, and looked back at her now fox colored tail.

Her mouth felt strange, and she opened her jaw to feel her top teeth. Her eyes widened when she felt fangs.

 _Like Clopar's_ , she thought. _Freaks._

She scaled down the tree, feeling wobbly in this new body. But she could not waste any time, as this false transformation would not last long. She straightened her back, and trotted into the scattered crowd.

Quickly, she found Julien and Aneza exactly at the moment the music changed.

She took Aneza's place, and Julien smiled happily at her, his eyes gleaming.

Chimera felt a strange sensation in her chest, as though her heart was swelling. No one had ever looked at her that way. This new body gave her a power she had never had before.

Someone's complete, and love-blinded trust.

 _Perfect._

She smiled back at Julien, and they began to dance. She knew she was not as coordinated as real Isobel, but Julien did not seem to notice.

Suddenly, Julien cocked his head. "When did you change your scarf thing?"

Chimera's now green eyes widened. "Uh, it's been this color all day."

Now Julien's eyes widened. "You can talk to me now!"

 _Oops._ "Well, yeah! Come here, I have something to show you."

Chimera took Julien's paws, and led him away from the crowd, and the village altogether; completely unnoticed.

They walked down a path, with Julien giggling and Chimera trying to keep in character. She laughed and held Julien's hand, which felt very strange to her.

"Isobel, you are being more mysterious that usual!" Julien laughed, his face close to Chimera's. "I like it!"

Chimera gave him a big, fake smile, and glanced down at the base of a tree they were about to pass. There, hidden, was Topaz's bow and the arrows he had made to look like Isobel's.

Julien had not even noticed.

"We're here!" Chimera announced as they stepped into a dark clearing. There were no bioluminescent plants, only grass.

"Oh." Julien sounded disappointed. "Eh, what is here?"

Chimera brought her face close to his, smiling as she sweet as she could manage. "Well, it's a _surprise_ , of course!"

Julien's face lit up. "Really? Okay! What do I have to do?"

"Stand over there." Chimera pointed with a giggle.

Julien skipped over to where she had pointed.

"Now turn around." Chimera instructed, as she began to tiptoe back to the bow and arrow.

Julien giggled. "Now what?"

"Cover your eyes." Chimera's voice was wavering just slightly, but she kept it calm as she picked up the bow and arrow. She walked back into the clearing, perfectly facing Julien's back. "And don't turn around until I say so."

Julien smiled. "Okay, Isobel. I am completely trusting you."

Chimera couldn't help but smile as she pulled back the bowstring, aiming directly for Julien's heart.

 **:) I love cliffhangers. But only when I write them. XD Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	48. A Sheikh's Burden

Chapter 48: A Sheikh's Burden

Before Chimera could release the arrow, something flashed in the corner of her eye.

She turned her head sharp to the right, and gasped.

Julien had not heard anything, and was still patiently waiting with his hands covering his eyes.

He waited another minute, and then grew impatient.

"Uh, Isobel?"

He uncovered his eyes and turned around.

"Huh?" He cocked his head, as no one was there.

Julien walked back to the tree from where they had come, but still no one.

 _Why did she go back?_

Julien had an odd, creeping feeling that he did not like. He decided to go back to the village.

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Isobel had begun to grow worried when she saw Julien missing from the other dancers. Abandoning a party was not like him at all, and she could not imagine where he could have possibly gone.

But she saw the penguins off to the side, sipping from cups of espresso and looking at ease. She also saw Mikhailov further back with Katia, and he looked to be happy.

She decided these were all good signs, and if he was not back within the next couple songs, she would let the penguins know.

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"What are you doing?" Chimera angrily pushed Topaz away. The potion had worn off, and she was back to her own body.

"Stopping you from making a stupid decision." Topaz whisper-yelled.

Chimera smirked at him. "So, back to that accent, are we? You know how Clopar feels – "

"Oh, like you care." Topaz crossed his arms. "Whatever, he doesn't like a Rhodesian accent. He doesn't even use his own accent. Thinks it's too low for him. I've never liked my own accent before now. Well I can't keep up anymore. My father was Dutch and I grew up in Zimbabwe. This is me!"

Chimera's smirk vanished, and gave a half-hearted laugh. "Wow. I think this is the most you've ever stood up for yourself. But you ruined my plans, so what gives, Rhodesian?"

Topaz was full of excitement. Ellesmera's words had enlightened him. "You don't need to kill Julien."

Chimera crossed her arms. "And why not? It could've been so much fun."

Topaz had planned everything he would say to get Chimera to listen to him. "Isobel loves him."

Chimera raised an eyebrow and burst into laughter. "Um, duh? That would have been the fun part!"

Topaz shook his head. "This will work out for Clopar, ja? If Julien is alive, the easier it is to get Isobel to do what Clopar says."

Chimera was listening now. "That is true. He'll like that. We better go and tell him before he gets too upset that we aren't at the party."

Topaz was relieved, and at the same time terrified. He had saved Julien, but this would only bring more trouble for Isobel later on.

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Up in the same tree that Chimera had been in earlier, Clopar was gazing down at the dancers.

At first, he had gone to make sure Chimera and Topaz were playing their parts in his scheme. He was angry when he did not see them, but his anger had diminished to fascination.

He was watching Isobel.

She danced beautifully, and it was as though her scarf was a mere extension of her body, as she twirled it around so fluidly.

Clopar was caught up in his visions of grandeur for after his plot was successful. But he shook his head, as he needed to stay focused on the present.

He climbed down the tree, and made his way back to the meeting place. Along the way, he ran into Topaz and Chimera.

Before he could chastise them, they explained everything that had happened, and Topaz's ideas.

By the end, Clopar was smiling.

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Julien walked from the jungle and back into the village, still clearly confused.

"Julien?"

Julien turned his head and saw Mikhailov looking at him confusedly. He was standing beside Katia, who looked way too surprised to see Julien.

"Where did you come vrom?" Mikhailov asked.

"Isobel took me to the jungle, but then she left." Julien explained. "Did she come back?"

"Uh," Mikhailov raised an eyebrow. "Vhat are you talking about? Aysobel never left."

Before Julien could counter him, Katia spoke up shakily.

"Mikhailov, I, eh, have to go now." Katia looked jumpy and she began to back away.

"Oh." Mikhailov was a little crestfallen. "Do you vant me to –"

" _Non._ " Katia shook her head, cutting him off. "I'll see you later."

Katia trotted away into the forest.

"See what I mean?" Julien said. "All de females are ditching."

Mikhailov shook his head. "I still do not know vhat you are thinking. I'm telling you, Aysobel never left. Look, here she comes now."

Julien turned and saw Isobel walking towards him, a worried expression on her face.

"What happened?" She asked. It was now the middle of the night, and it was fine for her to speak to him. She had already traded out her pearl earrings for her old ones.

"I should be asking you that." Julien put his hands on his hips. "You left me?"

Isobel looked even more confused as she shook her head slowly. "Julien, I never left. I have no idea what you mean."

Julien's eyes widened. There was no logical reason for Isobel to lie about it, so he knew something was amiss. "But… But you were there. I swear!"

Isobel and Mikhailov exchanged concerned glances.

"Did you eat any of those green berries today?" Mikhailov asked.

Julien sighed exasperatedly. "I'm not hallucinating! Isobel took me to the forest a-"

"Show me where." Isobel told him.

The three of them went back to the exact spot where Chimera had taken Julien.

Isobel stopped in her tracks before the clearing. She knew this place. It was where she had taken the penguins so they could see where her parents had died.

"Julien," Isobel began, "This place is sacred to me. And my people. This is where my parents were murdered."

Julien swallowed. "Oh. So…It really wasn't you. But, it _was_ you. Your voice, everything."

Isobel sighed. "I don't know who you saw, Julien."

Julien nodded, and said quietly, "I guess I don't either."

On their way out of the clearing, something caught Isobel's eye. She stooped down to pick it up, and saw that it was an arrow that had the exact same fletching as her own.

"Vhat is it?" Mikhailov asked her.

"My arrow." Isobel's brow knit together. "But my quiver is with _khal_ Ajihad's. No one could have stolen any."

"Eet's replica then." Mikhailov suggested. "But vhy?"

Isobel shook her head, more concerned than ever. "I don't know. Let's go back to the village."

Julien was spooked now. This whole thing was getting more and more warped.

Isobel wrapped her sash around herself as they walked back. She had felt safe in this jungle before.

That feeling was no more.

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Once they made it back to the village, they were greeted by the penguins, who were ready to go back to the Charley.

Isobel gave them a small smile so they would not be suspicious of anything wrong.

They knew her better than that, but they also knew if she needed their help, she would ask.

"I'm glad you came." Isobel told them as she gave them each hugs goodbye.

"No problem, doll." Skipper said. "The boys and I had a great time. So, same time tomorrow?"

Isobel nodded. "Yes."

Skipper glanced at Isobel, wanting to know what was bothering her.

But he only smiled, and he and the team went on their way.

Before Julien and Isobel could discuss what happened further, Ajihad approached them.

" _Khal._ " Isobel turned to him.

She took note of his expression. Where there should have been a jovial smile, there was only a hardened façade, deep in thought. He looked a king in distress more than ever.

"Come with me." Ajihad instructed her in Ta'li, hands folded behind his back.

Isobel obeyed, and went along with Ajihad, leaving Julien and Mikhailov behind.

The two walked past the dying bonfire, and back into the jungle. Once they went deep enough into the forest that the fire's light could not touch them, bioluminescent plants began to show their colors. This guided their path as they journeyed out.

Ajihad had been silent, and Isobel did not know where they were going.

Truthfully, after the incident with Julien, Isobel was nervous about being in the jungle now. And neither of them had brought any weapons.

But she knew she needed to trust him, and followed along without question. He would never let anything happen to her.

They walked on and on, and the only sounds around them were the jangling of Isobel's bangles.

Finally, Isobel could no longer stand it, as they were far away from the jungle now. " _Khal,_ where are we going?"

"We're almost there." Ajihad assured her, keeping their conversation in Ta'li. He seemed a little more relaxed.

Isobel sighed, and wrapped her sash closer to herself. They were beginning to climb uphill, and as the trees grew fewer and fewer, they could feel the breeze more strongly. Soon, she was able to hear the sounds of the ocean crashing against the rocks.

She looked up, and saw two large trees, side by side, guarding the cliff that hung over the ocean. The beach was farther north from them, as they had traveled east.

The trees were large, but their canopy was not nearly enough to block out the sky. It had returned to normal, and they could see fiery constellations dotting the sky. The moon was nearly full.

Ajihad let Isobel gaze for a moment, and then brushed her shoulder.

"We have to go up into this tree."

Together, they scaled the tree on the left; the very one that Ajihad had received his vision in.

Once they reached the thickest branch, they stopped and sat down. Ajihad sat with his back to the trunk, and Isobel faced him, her legs tucked under her.

Ajihad crossed his legs, and looked at Isobel.

"You look so much like your mother." He said quietly. His eyes were still their lustrous green, but the fire was beginning to die. "I miss her every day."

Isobel gave him a small, understanding smile. She knew, undoubtedly, that he missed her mother more than she did. That was his big sister, and he had known her much longer, and more about her.

"She is waiting for us, in Paradise." Ajihad continued. "So I can reassure myself of that."

He was right, but Isobel was worried with the way he talked, how his behavior had been out of order lately.

" _Khal_?" She asked carefully. "Are you sick? Or –"

"No." Ajihad shook his head. He looked down for a moment. "I am sorry for my distance and coldness. I…I need to speak with you, about being sheikh."

Isobel watched as he carefully removed his headdress. When he removed it, the long, yellow, gold, and green feathers sagged more.

"A sheikh's headdress is chosen specifically for him. Or her." Ajihad began, "It fits their coronation. Your mother's headdress was pink and studded with rubies, for joy and a prosperous beginning to her reign. And mine…" He ran his hand along a couple of the feathers, "Yellow; for hope. Hope in such a desperate and uncertain time. And green for a new start. The style was modeled after the Aztecs, for their long reigns. And, so far, I have reigned sixteen years. I'd say that's good so far, yes?"

He chuckled, and Isobel smiled, waiting to hear more.

"Not every crown is created for each coronation." Ajihad explained. "There are some headdresses that are very old, and the ancestors choose who wears them. No one has worn them yet."

"What are they for?" Isobel asked.

Ajihad straightened up. "For when someone is crowned during the start of war."

He placed his headdress back on, and the feathers seemed to spring up.

Ajihad saw the questioning look on Isobel's face, and he smiled. "Did you see that? That is something else special about these. They connect to us. It becomes a part of us. Our emotions feed into the feathers. If we are angry, the feathers might stick straight out like cats' hair when they are mad. If we are happy, the feathers will arrange themselves beautifully."

"I didn't know that." Isobel said, intrigued by this.

Ajihad nodded. He then brushed the feathers away from his face, and used his fingers to push his ears forward so Isobel could see. "Do you know of these?"

"Every sheikh or sheikrah has the twelve piercings." Isobel told him. "I never understood why."

"The process is painful." Ajihad admitted. "You were small when your mother pierced your ears, and she did it gently. But the piercing ceremony for one about to be crowned is different. My mother did mine. You must lay down on a slab of rock, and the needles are all stabbed through at once. The rock stops the needles. Then the earrings are placed in. For the women, it is only thin hoops. For the men…Well, you see."

Isobel inspected closer, and saw that her uncle's piercings were each the size of how big around her pinky finger was. She grimaced. "How many months did it take to get to those?"

Ajihad laughed a little. "Your grandmother made it happen in one. She cut open some of my piercings a little so these would go through."

"But why all of this?" Isobel asked. "All for a status symbol?"

"It is not just that." Ajihad dropped his hands down. "It is to know pain, and for the people to know that we understand great physical pain. It shows we will lead with compassion, because if we know pain so intimately, we will not rush to put our own people through it. This is our duty to bear. Do you understand?"

Isobel nodded. "Yes. Why are you telling me all of this, _khal_?"

Ajihad took his nieces hands. "This will be your burden to bear one day. It's my job to tell you now, so you will not be lost like I was when I first became sheikh."

He looked down, and Isobel observed him. He was relatively young, as they were only twelve years apart.

"Thank you, _khal_. For everything."

Ajihad looked back at his niece, and smiled. "You are my flesh and blood. All that is left of my sister. I love you, Isobel."

"I love you too, _khal_."

The relatives embraced, and as Ajihad looked over her shoulder, he gazed up into the stars, knowing with all of his heart that Niloufar was gazing down at them, too.

 **I wanted to write more, but I felt like leaving it on a happy note, considering the following chapters won't be ending so happily. :p Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	49. Choose

Chapter 49: Choose

It was late into the night by the time Isobel and Ajihad returned.

Sequoyah looked anxious when Ajihad greeted her, but his smile melted all of that away.

Isobel found Julien and Mikhailov waiting for her by a dying fire.

Julien approached her. "Is everything okay?"

Isobel nodded. She was exhausted, but glad for the time she had had with Ajihad. " _Khal_ wanted to talk to me about his reign, and about being a sheikh."

Julien thought that a little odd. "Oh, okay. But it's so late, why couldn't it wait?"

"Ajihad has always been fond of the night." Isobel explained. "It makes things more clear."

Julien could understand that a little. He loved when parties went late into the night because people were more candid then. "I just wanted to wait for you to come back. But I can go to my people now."

Isobel grabbed his hand. "Stay."

Julien and Mikhailov both looked at her strangely.

Isobel cleared her throat. "I don't want you to travel alone at night."

Mikhailov interrupted. "But I could escort hi-"

Julien turned to him smugly, wagging his finger. "Ah-ah-ah! She already said I could stay."

Mikhailov grumbled in angry Russian as he walked to where he and Isobel usually slept.

Julien looked back to Isobel with a smile. "Thanks."

Isobel gave him a small smile, and led him to where Mikhailov was going.

Mikhailov had settled down comfortably on a bed of moss.

Isobel laid down beside him, and, as Julien had expected, Mikhailov placed a protective wing over her.

Julien laid down as close as he could without upsetting Mikhailov.

"Good night, Isobel."

"Good night, Julien."

While the two men drifted off to sleep, Isobel was wide awake with her thoughts.

She twisted one of her earrings around while she relived her memories with Ajihad that night. She knew she would remember everything he had told her. Although she was apprehensive about it, she accepted the fact that Talamaru would one day be hers to rule. She looked forward to Ajihad giving her more advice over the years.

She recalled that on their way back to the village, Ajihad had let Isobel walk ahead of him, as she knew the way there.

But she had had to stop a few times so he could catch up. He had kept stopping along the way to admire one plant or flower or another, to follow a small night creature on its own separate path, to gaze up at the canopy, and to let his hands glide through the tall grass that they passed.

He was so oddly calm and at peace with the jungle. Ordinarily, Isobel would not have thought twice about it; this was the Ta'li way.

She closed her eyes, and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

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Hours before, the penguins had passed back into Madagascar. Julien's people were having a party of their own, and so they did not have to worry about being quiet.

They excitedly talked about everything that had happened during the day, and all but Private agreed they wished they could drink that espresso every morning.

Skipper led his team onto the moonlit beach.

They chatted away while he looked around, sweeping his eyes over the entire beach.

As they got closer and closer to the Charley, he felt uneasy.

He stopped in his tracks, and the rest of the team collided with him.

"What's wrong, Skippa?" Private asked.

Skipper was staring straight at the Charley, not fifteen feet from them.

He opened his beak. "Kowalski – "

Something hard hit the back of his head, and he immediately passed out.

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Skipper's eyes cracked open, and he shielded them with his flipper. There was a blinding light burning into his eyes.

 _Did I pass out onto the beach? Is it day already?_

"Good evening, Skipper." A slightly familiar voice said.

"Huh?" Skipper sat up a little, and the light was adjusted away from his face.

He blinked and saw that he was in the Charley, and it was still the middle of the night.

Very quickly, everything came back to him, and he jumped up into a fighting stance.

But his head was killing him, and he wobbled back down onto the floor.

"Easy there, Skipper. Franz hit you pretty hard."

Skipper finally looked over to who was speaking to him. He squinted. "Alistair?"

The brown mink who had given him the mission to find the ruby smiled at him. "Skipper. I'm sure you remember me."

Skipper nodded. "Yes." He looked around himself more, and did not see his team, just Alistair's AG8 henchmen. Instantly, he was alarmed. "Where is my team?"

"Don't worry about that." Alistair said soothingly, his light blue eyes twinkling. "They are safe."

Skipper folded his flippers. "No team, no negotiation."

Alistair gave a smile that was too sweet. "Okay then. Bring them in!"

An otter holding a gun opened the door, and a beaver led in Private, Kowalski, and Rico, who all had their flippers up.

"What's going on here?" Skipper asked angrily.

Alistair was quick, and he squatted down to Skipper's level, his smile gone. "I think you are the one who needs to explain everything here. We searched through your helicopter while you were out, and no. Ruby. In. Sight."

Skipper noticed that the Charley had been ripped apart; drawers pulled out and turned over, their boxes split open, and the cabinet doors all swung open.

His eyes flicked back to Alistair, who now held a silver pistol in his left hand.

"It's time to start explaining, Skipper."

Skipper gulped, and looked at his team, who were all staring at him wide eyed and pleading.

Skipper knew they could not suddenly attack, as all of the animals in the Charley were armed. It would be seven armed against four unarmed.

"I didn't push the button, Alistair." He began to explain.

Alistair chuckled. "You didn't? Well, we are here now, so clearly someone did. Besides, you have kept up waiting long enough. Where is the Heart of the Earth?"

Skipper lifted his chin, trying to look strong as he drew in a breath. "We don't have it."

Quick as a blink, Alistair whipped the pistol across Skipper's face, leaving a gash.

The team tried to stay fearless, but they were very worried about what could happen to Skipper.

Private whimpered.

"Don't have it?!" Alistair stood up angrily. He paced away from Skipper and then looked back at him. "Then who?"

Skipper was breathing hard, and he ignored the blood trickling down his beak and neck. "We never collected it. It's not right, Alistair!"

"Not right?" Alistair's eyes were practically brimming with fire. "Tie them up."

He waved his gun in the team's direction and his men proceeded to bind them, flippers and beaks.

"Wait!" Skipper called out.

"For what?" Alistair shouted. "You don't have our ruby, you did not hold up your end of the deal."

"Alright, alright." Skipper held his flippers up. "Then you don't owe us anything. Just leave us be."

Alistair shook his head. "Oh, no, Skipper. It's not as easy as that. We _will_ get that ruby. It's ours for the taking."

Skipper folded his flippers. "You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead, flippers."

"Much obliged." Alistair took a step towards Skipper, lifting his gun.

The team screamed through their gags, and Alistair stopped.

He turned to look at the other three penguins.

Skipper quivered a little, knowing what Alistair was thinking.

Alistair glided across the space, and stepped beside the trio, who were sitting on the floor.

Alistair made eye contact with Skipper. "Which one?"

He nudged Private's head with the pistol. Private shuddered and tears squeezed out from his closed eyes. "This one?"

"No, stop!" Skipper pleaded, finding his feet and standing up unsteadily. He willed himself to stay standing.

"It's too late, Skipper." Alistair moved onto Kowalski, and then Rico, and circled back again. "Choose!"

Skipper closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, and covering his head with his flippers.

"I will help you!" He exploded.

Alistair paused, and smiled at him. "Now you are coming to your senses."

Rico shook his head sadly at Skipper, and Kowalski and Private hung their heads.

Alistair walked back over to Skipper. "So what will you help us with?"

Skipper sighed. "I will help you get the ruby."

Alistair placed his hands behind his back. "Good. We have all night to discuss Ta'li culture. We will use their weaknesses, hit every vulnerable spot, because you could not negotiate with them. This is your fault, Skipper."

Skipper's heart sank into oblivion. "I know."

"Now," Alistair commanded, "Clean up this mess, and sort together anything that can help us."

He turned to an ermine. "Franz! Untie the others."

The ermine gave a grunt, and used a bowie knife to remove the ropes. The penguins took out their own gags, and stood up.

They quickly rushed over to Skipper to check him, but he brushed them off.

"Come on." He said softly, beginning to clean up the mess Alistair's men had made.

At first, they were reluctant. This was not the Skipper they knew.

Private glanced sadly at Skipper's wound. The blood was beginning to cake, but it looked like it pained him more than he showed.

After they had finished, Skipper whispered to Kowalski. "Get your notebook. You've been taking notes on Talamaru since we got here."

Kowalski furrowed his brow. "Skipper, why – "

"Do it, Kowalski!" Skipper hissed under his breath.

Kowalski sighed disappointedly, and retrieved his notebook.

Alistair looked out one of the Charley's windows, waiting for the penguins to collect themselves.

He stared into the jungle, imagining plucking the ruby from the earth himself.

All the riches that Talamaru had to offer him lay in wait. He did not care if the Ta'li handed it over willingly or not.

He was not afraid to spark a battle.

 **So things took a turn, huh? Sorry it's so short, and such a cliffhanger. I'll try to update soon! Things are going to happen fast from here.**


	50. Betrayal

Chapter 50: Betrayal

Ajihad awoke to a clap of thunder.

He jolted up, and looked around himself, his heart pounding.

He looked up as rain dripped from the canopy above. The rain was falling in big drops on top of the trees, but the tree canopy above him was thick enough to only let down drops here and there.

He turned his head to a still sleeping Sequoyah.

Instantly, his heartbeat evened out. She was who he wanted to see; his constant in his life.

Gently, he leaned down to kiss her cheek, and she smiled in her sleep.

Ajihad stood up, and was about to put on his crown and prepare for the day. Thunder rolled in the distance, and the birds relished in the rain that made the bugs come up from the soil. Monkeys howled at each other miles away, while shier residents of the jungle hid away from the rain.

Ajihad stood out on the grass, and his ears twitched, picking up every sound. He closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply through his nostrils. The scent of the water and the earth and blooming flowers rolled together and into his nose.

He exhaled.

This was his home; all he had ever known.

He stepped over to wear he kept his feathered crown, and placed it on his head. He traced his fingers down the feathers, and then set off for the village.

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Isobel's eyes blinked opened, and she took a deep breath. She moved out from under Mikhailov's wing, which had kept her warm during the night.

The rain chilled the jungle, and she shivered a little as she woke up. She sat up, and brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her tail around her ankles.

Raindrops splashed onto the broad leaves of the birds-of-paradise beside them.

Isobel placed her paw on Mikhailov's shoulder, and felt his deep breaths.

She looked over at Julien, who slept sprawled out and not very gracefully.

This made her laugh a little, and she stood up. She stretched her arms, and something caught her eye.

Instantly, her smile vanished.

She saw Skipper being half dragged and half pushed by a mink with a silver pistol. Behind them were the rest of Skipper's team, being escorted by the animals who were clearly with the mink.

Isobel crouched down so she was more hidden. She crawled over to Julien, shaking him awake.

"Julien." She whisper-yelled. Her heart was hammering, and she felt sick with fear. "Julien!"

"Hmm?" Julien's eyes opened slowly, but Isobel grabbed onto his shoulders and yanked him up into sitting. "Whoa, hey! I'm awake-"

Isobel clamped a hand over his mouth, and he looked at her wildly, completely confused.

Mikhailov awoke at Julien's yelling.

"Aysobel, vhat-"

Isobel held a finger up to her mouth, and Mikhailov went silent.

She let go of Julien, and moved over to her Firebird.

She pointed around the birds-of-paradise, and Mikhailov swung his head to see.

He saw what had frightened Isobel so, and he inhaled sharply.

" _Gospodi._ "

Julien crept beside Isobel. "What's going on?"

"It's Skipper." Isobel's voice was wavering. "Someone has him and the others. They're going into the village."

The trio all watched as the mink pulled Skipper into the center of the village.

It was still early, and no one was out yet. But the mink clearly wanted an audience.

He stopped, grabbed Skipper's left flipper roughly to twist it behind his back, and held his pistol straight up into the air.

 _Bang!_

He fired into the canopy high above them, and the birds stopped singing and the monkeys stopped calling. All that was left was the rain and the thunder.

Isobel and Julien flinched, and instantly Ajihad appeared on his dais, bow and arrows in hand.

More warriors came out as well, ready to defend their sheikh.

The mink smiled at Ajihad, and threw Skipper onto the ground.

Isobel was on her feet immediately, and she ran into the village, and up onto the dais with Ajihad and Sequoyah.

Villagers poured in, and Isobel saw Jack with Tira and her family.

Jack saw what was happening, and he began to unsheathe his sword.

Isobel's eyes went wide, but luckily Tira put her hand over Jack's and stopped him.

He settled, but was still clearly furious.

"Sheikh Ajihad." The mink gave a sweeping bow, holding his gun away from Ajihad's direction. His smile was sickly sweet. "My name is Alistair. I work for – "

"Why are you here?" Ajihad's voice boomed.

Alistair's smile vanished, but only for a second as he continued his act. "I believe you have something I want."

Ajihad raised his eyebrows. "You come into my village, fire your weapon, and demand gifts?"

"It's not a gift when it already belongs to me." Alistair's voice was sweet, but had a razor sharp edge. "The Heart of the Earth, Ajihad. The ruby."

Ajihad knew at once what he spoke of. The ruby as large as bird's egg that had once adorned his sister's coronation crown. It was buried in the earth, never touched after she died where it was now.

Isobel looked at Skipper, worry and fear in her gaze. His face had a healing wound, and fresh blood spread across it. His eyes were red, like he had gotten no sleep, or had been crying. She itched to jump down and help him, but she could not when Alistair held a gun. She did not know why he had taken Skipper and his team captive, and assumed it was so he could use them as leverage to get the ruby.

"How do you know of this?" Ajihad asked Alistair. He gripped his bow tighter.

Alistair nudged Skipper with his foot. "I sent Skipper to collect it for me. In exchange, he and his team would be funded for the rest of their lives. They would receive missions, necessary weapons – "

"Skipper." Isobel's voice was soft, unbelieving. She came down from the dais, and got as close as she could. She looked him in the eyes. "Is…This is not true. He is lying."

Skipper turned over, and stood up shakily. He looked awful.

"No, Isobel." His voice was weak, but he cleared his throat. "He's right. I betrayed you."

There were gasps, and elders mumbled about how they had been right about foreigners.

Isobel stepped back, and blinked away hot tears. She looked as though she had been physically struck across the face.

Alistair ignored what went on between Skipper and Isobel, and he continued to address. "The AG8 has sent mercenaries before."

That caught everyone's attention.

Ajihad stepped forward. It felt as though a fist were squeezing his heart. He had a terrible premonition of where this was going.

"More than fifteen years ago," Alistair continued, his voice loud enough for all to hear, "We sent mercenaries from a tribe up north, in the mountains. Surely, you know of the Yo'huac people. You savages used to war with them, constantly. The men we chose came down from the mountains and into your jungle, in the night. They had told us a coronation would be happening, and they could get any stone that we desired. They told us of a ruby the size of a bird's egg. And that was what we wanted. And so they came here, and murdered your queen and her husband while trying to get the ruby."

Isobel covered her mouth, and found she could no longer stand. She stumbled onto the ground, and Sequoyah rushed to her side. The niece and the aunt sat beside each other, Sequoyah's arms around Isobel.

"But they did not bring a ruby back." Alistair went on, finishing his story. "And so, they were killed."

He began to threateningly lower his gun in Skipper's direction.

Ajihad took a step forward, and Alistair's eyebrow flicked up in a smirk. He raised his gun back to his side.

"But we will not kill these ones." Alistair said. "Let them be a reminder that greed will always outweigh loyalty. Bring me the ruby by the morning, or I will call in reinforcements."

He gave Skipper a final shove with his foot, and he turned on his heel to leave.

His entourage followed, leaving the rest of the penguins shaking. They rushed over to Skipper to help him up as rain splashed on them.

Sequoyah turned her head up towards Ajihad, giving him a pleading look.

Ajihad shook his head, his eyes speaking of how uncertain he was.

"I warned you!" An elder pushed his way through the warriors and into Ajihad's face. "I warned you of your snake niece and the destruction she would bring! And now look!"

Ajihad held his hand. "Quiet! How can Isobel be at fault for someone else's decision?"

Isobel did not hear the old man, or her uncle, or as the rest of the village murmured amongst themselves.

Her gaze was fixed on Skipper, unblinking. She rose from her aunt's embrace without thinking, and walked towards Skipper.

Skipper saw her, and knew what was coming. "Isobel, I'm so –"

She struck him hard across the face, and Kowalski and Rico caught him, but did not intervene.

"You _knew_! I told you what happened to my parents! I showed you where they _died_!"

"I didn't know yet!" Skipper held his flippers up in front of his face as she slapped him again.

He had seen anger flash in her eyes, but never at him. It made his feather's stand on end.

"Isobel, I never meant to hurt you or your people!"

Isobel paused, as she was about to raise her hand again.

"You betrayed me, Skipper."

Skipper lowered his head, tears beginning to form behind his own eyes. "I – "

"Leave."

Skipper jerked his head up. "W-what?"

"Leave." Isobel's voice shook as tears brimmed over her eyes. "Leave this place. Do not come back. I do not know you."

And that was the final thing she said before she disappeared into the crowd of villagers, and into the open arms of her loved ones.

Skipper's eyes darted over to Mikhailov, who sighed and shook his head.

Skipper looked over at Ajihad, helpless.

The great sheikh lowered his head away from him.

Skipper looked into the crowd of stranger's faces, and they stared back.

Skipper was reeling as he took a step back. "I…I'm so sorry."

"Skipper." Kowalski spoke gently. "We need to leave."

Rico nodded sadly as he placed a flipper on his leader's shoulder.

"Right." They could barely hear Skipper's voice as he turned, and began to walk away.

He was numb.

Private did not turn away with the rest right away. His sad expression bore into the crowd as he hoped for one last glimpse of Isobel, who had become a dear friend to him.

He sighed, frustrated, when she did not come back.

He finally turned and caught up with the group, as the rain pelted their backs.

In the crowd, Tira held onto Isobel, running a comforting hand down her back.

Isobel's tears wet her fur, and some tears streaked down Tira's face as well.

"I'm so sorry, _chica_." Her voice was only a whisper.

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The villagers all sat where they had been standing, waiting for Ajihad to finish conversing with the elders.

They knew that the continuation of their beloved Celebration was off.

The rain had subsided for the time being, and a light wind blew the jungle, but it did not blow the clouds away.

Isobel and Tira were walking around the perimeter of the village, trying to clear their heads.

Jack and Aneza were there as well, and Julien and Mikhailov came up.

Everyone was at a loss for words. They comforted Isobel, as they knew she had more than just losing friends to be upset for, but they had lost friends as well.

"I don't understand." Isobel said quietly. Her voice sounded different after crying. "Why would they do this?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know, Iz. That just doesn't seem like something Skippa would do."

"Maybe they were tricked." Aneza chimed in. "They did not know what the ruby means to your family."

"But Skipper still betrayed me." Isobel shook her head. "He was going to steal from us."

Tira nodded in agreement.

"Lady Aysobel," Mikhailov said carefully, "I think you vere harsh vith him. Did you not see that he had been tortured? I do not think he vas going to help them so willingly."

The group all stopped. They agreed with Mikhailov's logic, but they waited to hear what Isobel had to say.

"That may be true," Isobel stared her Firebird in the eyes, "But just as Alistair said, he knew for a long time. Why would he not have told me before any of this happened?"

It was hard to decide who was right. But maybe it was not as simple as that.

Mikhailov sighed. "Okay, Aysobel. But you have shunned him forever; remember thees."

Ajihad came forward to the front of the dais, and the whole village stood on their feet.

Isobel and the rest of the group joined them.

Ajihad opened his mouth to speak. "The elders and I have decided to give them the ruby."

There were shouts of protest and agreement.

Ajihad held up his hands, and they quieted.

"There have already been enough deaths over this stone." He concluded. "I will not let any others die. In the morning, we will take it to them, as requested."

Isobel thought her _khal's_ decision smart, but this did not lessen the tension in her heart.

"We have nothing to be fearful of." Ajihad announced. "Today, we will have a wedding."

The crowd broke out in murmurs again, and the elder that had yelled at Ajihad before spoke up.

"A wedding?!" he spat. "On a day like this? It is not auspicious!"

"Enough with your talk of superstitions." It was clear Ajihad did not hold the same values as those older than him did. "One of our guests, who has fallen in love with one of our own, has asked yesterday if I would marry them today."

The same elder scoffed under his breath. "Marry one of our women to a foreigner. Of course."

Isobel looked over at Julien, who opened his mouth to say something, but Ajihad spoke up again.

"Jack, Tira; is this still your wish?"

Isobel looked back to her brother, who reached for Tira's hand.

"Yes." He answered.

"Yes." Tira spoke up beside him, one hand over her belly.

Tira's mother and siblings came over to congratulate her quietly. But even they were not sure if this was the right time to do it.

Ajihad spread his hands out. "Then let us prepare."


	51. Rain for a Wedding

Chapter 51: Rain for a Wedding

Isobel congratulated her brother and soon to be sister. Her smile was veiled and her voice soft, but they knew this was the best she could muster for now.

Jack and Tira had of course not known any of this would happen, but they knew that they needed to uphold their promise.

"Now, more than ever." Jack told her quietly when Isobel walked away. "These are troubled times."

Tira nodded. "We will be okay, Jack."

Jack squeezed her hand, and then gave her one of his charming smiles. "So, what say you? We get married, have our fill of the feast, and then I whisk you away to my ship where we sail off into sunset with my crew?"

Tira giggled, but she shook her head. "You know I will not leave my family. At least not until after the baby is born."

"Of course, love." Jack nudged. "I'm only teasing."

While the villagers began to prepare, Tira's family led her away to begin preparation.

"And you, stay away!" Maria waved a finger at him with a smile. "You can see her at the wedding."

All of the people were still shaken up from what had happened. It upset them the way the elders conversed to themselves. But they had faith in Ajihad. They knew in their hearts that he was right. If they gave the ruby to the men, they would leave, and things would be at peace again. But to know that their Queen had died over this stone? It was overwhelming, and none were as distraught by this as Isobel.

She stepped onto the dais and joined her aunt and uncle.

Ajihad turned to her, and Sequoyah left them alone.

" _Khal_ – "

"I did not know of this either." Ajihad told her. He sighed. "When we found her body with her crown and rings gone, I knew even then that that may have played a part in it. But…to know that she had not been targeted for any other reason…"

He was beginning to tear up, and he cleared his throat.

"That was the crown that had been chosen for her." Isobel said, trying to be comforting. "Destiny –"

"Destiny," her uncle finished for her, "She rules us all."

He gave a small nod. These words rang true throughout all time. There was no escaping fate.

Ajihad changed the subject. "I am sorry, Isobel. About your friends."

Isobel flicked her gaze away. She stared hard at the ground, digging her thumb nail into her index finger. "I do not know them."

Ajihad spoke softly. "They were your friend. They brought you home, Isobel. Do not let your heart grow hard."

He was not chastising her, but he wanted her to remember, not muddle things.

Isobel looked up at the sheikh.

Green eyes poured into green eyes, and both were forever grateful that they still had each other throughout all of this.

Isobel embraced him, but not for as long as she wanted to. She could not fall to pieces now.

It was her brother's wedding day.

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Skipper was in a zombie state on the way back to the Charley.

His life was shattering to pieces in front of him.

 _Skipper the Traitor._

Every heart beat was a dull thud, his temples pulsating.

He could barely hear Kowalski and Rico giving him words of comfort once they reached the beach.

"You were deceived."

"I'obel 'id'nt mean it."

"We can fix this."

"STOP IT!"

The three older penguins turned to their youngest.

Private was seething, his flippers rolled up into fists, his brow low.

Kowalski and Rico blinked; they had rarely seen Private like this.

"Enough coddling Skippa!" He yelled. "Don't act like this isn't his fault!"

He then waddled up to his leader, ready to give him the what for. "Why didn't you just say no to Alistair when we were still in New York?! You _knew_ already it was a bad idea! A bad, dirty, mean idea. You broke Isobel's heart, and her trust. All of those memories with her? Saving her from Clopar, going on an adventure with her in Brazil? Mikhailov? Jack? Gone, Skippa! The greatest friends I have ever known. And you – oh, now you're sitting in the sand! Mature, Skippa!"

"Shh." Skipper lowered himself onto his belly.

"What?!" Private was still clearly angry. "Have you not been listening to a word I've said?"

"Quiet!" Skipper commanded. He placed his earhole on the sand. "Get down here and listen."

Kowalski and Rico obeyed, but Private only folded his flippers.

"You hear that?" Skipper asked the scientist and the demolitionist.

"It sounds like it's coming from about fifty yards around the sand dune, Skipper." Kowalski raised his head.

"Uh huh." Rico agreed. "Cop'or."

Skipper sat up. "They're having engine trouble."

Private raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Alistair." Skipper looked up at him. "They didn't swim here. Their helicopter is just over that hill down the beach. They keep trying to start her up, but the engine is bust. Probably has sand in it."

"So what, you actually want to help them now?" Private scoffed.

"Nope." Skipper stood up, a smile on his face. "But they know we have a helicopter. They'll be begging for help in no time."

Everyone was confused.

Skipper chuckled. "Gather round, kids. I'll tell you the plan."

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Isobel went off to join Tira. She had seen Jack with Julien and Mikhailov. They would certainly keep him entertained until it was time for the wedding.

She knew that, considering the wedding would be last minute, it would not be particularly grand. But Tira would not mind.

Isobel came upon her family's 'home' – their own clearing with hammocks for them to sleep in – and saw Tira sitting down, her mother and sister fussing over her.

Tira looked annoyed and she yelled at them in Spanish.

Her sister, Elena frowned at her. "It's your wedding! Don't you want to look nice?"

" _No mas!_ " Tira was firm in her decision.

Her sister and mother let her be, and Isobel came up to her.

She couldn't help but laugh when she saw Tira's face.

She was absolutely covered in makeup, and it did not suit her.

"Help me get this off." Tira tried wiping it away with her wrist but it only transferred to the fur there.

Isobel got a clothes and moistened it with rainwater that had collected in some leaves.

She began gently wiping off her friend's makeup. "Do you want any make up?"

Tira scrunched up her face. "Nah. I want to be all natural. What's there to hide?"

Isobel smiled at her confidence.

Tira gave her a smile in return. "Listen, about today…"

"Please." Isobel put her paw on Tira's arm. "No more about…Them. Any of it. Today is your wedding. That is all I want to think about today."

"Okay." Tira said in understanding.

Her teenage brothers came up to them, each holding a bouquet of varied flowers. They had been sent to find flowers for Tira's arrangement.

"Ooo, seester you look _good._ " Javier, ever a jokester, said in an exaggerated accent.

"Shut up." Tira told him, annoyed.

Isobel wiped off the last of her makeup, so she was back to regular Tira.

"Nah, for real though, sis." Francisco stepped in front of Javier. "Today is your wedding, and Jack seems cool, so I'm super happy for you guys. You really mean a lot to me as an older sister. And I can't wait for my little _sobrino._ Or _sobrina_."

Tira's expression changed entirely, and she even had some tears in her eyes. Pregnancy and a wedding had her hormones and emotions in a tailspin. "Really, Cisco? You were always the sweet brother."

Francisco smiled. "Of course. Also… There's bugs in these flowers!"

He quickly shook out the bugs over Tira's head and she screamed and jumped up to smack him.

But the twins ran away cracking up before Tira could catch them.

Tira sighed exasperatedly. She turned to Isobel. "And I still love them."

She brushed away the harmless insects from her fur.

It was time for her to really get ready.

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The penguins had devised a plan to take Alistair and his team hostage. It was elaborate, considering they were outnumbered and Alistair could call in more reinforcements with the click of a button, which would only bring more trouble to the Ta'li.

They would wait for the group to ask them for help, as Skipper said.

The rest of the penguins were not very confident that it would work. Their leader was manic with stress and grief, and this was currently his way of coping.

But they saw no harm in waiting around for something that would not happen. None of them were in the mood to do anything at the moment.

While Skipper paced around with a strange smile on his face, Kowalski and Rico sat down next to the Charley, and started doodling in the sand.

Private went inside, and went to the back where their boxes were. He pulled out his personal box, which was full of memories. The ones that struck him the most were the developed photographs.

He had taken lots of pictures while they were at the zoo. Isobel, Mikhailov, and Julien were in many of them.

He sighed as he flipped through them, his heart like a knot in his chest.

Private set the photographs back in the box, and realized something.

He lifted up his own box, and saw Isobel's underneath of his. She had also made a personal box before they left, and she had not taken it yet.

Private lifted the lid off, and saw inside was her flower crown. The petals were dry, but it was in perfect condition. He traced his flipper along the bright petals, and sniffed, a tear gliding down his beak.

He sat down and set the box gently in his lap. He knew it was technically an invasion of privacy, but this was his last chance to "see" his friend.

He was careful to not move the crown for fear of crushing or breaking it, and so he reached around it. He picked up a silver ring with the Atlantean stamp on, obviously a gift from her father. There were also small opera binoculars, decorated with mother-of-pearl. Those were a gift from Jack, Private knew this much.

He felt around and came up with a necklace of rope, and a crystal dangling at the end. This was Isobel's healing crystal from Atlantis, just like the ones she had given to Private and the rest of the team.

After Private had finished looking through her box, he closed the lid back on it. He tapped his flippers on the lid, knowing that he needed to get it back to Isobel.

But he and the others could not do it.

Private stepped out of the Charley, box in flippers. He walked past Kowalski and Rico, who looked up at him.

"Private?" Skipper had stopped pacing, and he eyed the box. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back, Skippa." Private called over his shoulder. "At least one of us has to make something right."

Skipper was taken aback, but said nothing.

Private walked down the beach, and clambered over the sand dune that separated them and Alistair's group.

He slid down the sand and walked timidly towards their helicopter.

It was much larger than the Charley, and looked brand new with shiny, navy blue paint.

He saw the otter, the beaver, and a couple others working on it. He figured they would be prepared enough to fix it themselves, but he hadn't dared say anything to Skipper while he was coming up with a plan.

The ermine, Franz, saw him coming. He bared his teeth and him and started to raise his weapon, but Alistair came out of the helicopter and held up his paw.

He waited for Private to approach him.

"What are you doing here?"

Private cleared his throat. "Um, I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a favor to ask."

That made Alistair laugh. "A favor? What on earth – "

"You wouldn't have to do anything." Private interrupted. "I just…When Isobel's people come to give you the ruby in the morning, will you give them this?"

He lifted up the box, and Alistair examined it.

"What's in it?"

"It's some things of Isobel's." Private explained. "It's really nothing important, just some dried flowers and fabric –"

Alistair lifted the lid off before Private could stop him.

He sifted through it, turning his nose up at the cloth squares and photographs that Private had put inside of it.

"What's this?" He said as he pulled out Isobel's healing crystal. He examined it in the light, and shook his head. "Quartz. I don't want that."

Private was relieved, and thought Alistair was done, but he reached in the box again, this time bringing up the opera binoculars Jack had given Isobel.

"These are gold plated." Alistair weighed them in his hand. "And the inlay is exquisite. I'll keep these."

Private loathed Alistair, but this was the only way to get Isobel her box back, even if something was missing.

But Alistair's greed had not yet been sated, and this time, he removed the ring the King of Atlantis had given Isobel.

His eyes lit up, and Private knew it was lost.

"You can't –"

Alistair's eyes flashed at Private. "Excuse me?"

Private closed his mouth and shook his head.

"Hmm." Alistair went back to examining the ring. He knew it contained silver, but it was too sturdy for a good amount of it to be in the ring. He looked at the stamp on it, and noticed it was filled in with a type of resin. The resin was a pretty blue, but it was still resin none the less.

He dumped the ring back in the box, and Private felt internally relieved.

"Alright then." Alistair closed the box and took it from Private. "I'll give this to them in the morning."

"Thank you." Private said quietly. He began to turn around, but he stopped. "Oh, and Alistair?"

"Yes?" The mink was turning the binoculars over, enjoying his new prize.

Private stood tall and cleared his throat. "You're one of the worst people I've ever met. I hope when you're old all you have are your dusty trinkets and no one in the world will care when you're gone. You tricked Skippa, and ruined all of us. You're disgusting."

This was a huge statement for Private, as he had never said anything of this magnitude. But it felt good.

Alistair only chuckled. "Is that the best you can give me, boy? That's all right. I already know where I'm going when I die."

Private said nothing more, and he turned around, leaving Alistair with the binoculars and Isobel's box.

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The villagers had transformed the clearing. There were bundles of flowers everywhere, as well as the other blossoms that had bloomed when the sun began peeking through the clouds.

The sudden rain had unsettled them, and Alistair had frightened them. But the rays of sun and the beautiful, fragrant blossoms uplifted their spirits, and they felt more confident about the wedding.

Perhaps this bride and groom would not be cursed.

Tira was still with her family and Isobel. She was nervously fiddling with her bouquet, which consisted of deep purple orchids, pink lilies, and orange birds-of-paradise, as well as tiny blue flowers to accent them. There were no white flowers, as it was bad lack for a bride to have any white blossoms in her bouquet. Those were reserved for the dead.

"Are you ready, Tira?"

Tira looked up at Isobel, and she suddenly felt queasy.

"Yeah."

She took her friend's hand, and Isobel helped her up.

"I have one more thing for you."

Isobel showed her a crown of purple and blue flowers, and Tira gasped.

"How did you get it together so fast? It's beautiful."

Isobel was happy that she liked it. "I had a couple of women help me. It's tradition."

Tira nodded, as that was true. But she had not expected that she would be given one at her wedding, especially one so short notice.

Isobel placed it on her head for her, and Tira smiled.

Small raindrops began splashing onto the two girls, and Tira looked up in despair.

"Oh, not again."

Isobel knew that Tira had heard the villagers murmuring about a wedding on a rainy day being a bad omen.

"Do you truly believe in these superstitions?" Isobel asked her friend with a small smile. She had a mind more like Ajihad's. "In what the old men say under their breath?"

Tira sighed, and held out her paw, letting some drops collect in her palm.

"No."

She gave a quick twirl in the rain, just as she had when she was a child.

Isobel laughed, and then took her hand again. "Are you nervous for today?"

Tira nodded, a serious expression on her face. "So much. But I love your brother, Isobel. I really do."

Isobel gave her a soft smile. "I know. And I am glad for it."

The girls embraced, and afterwards Tira looked around herself. "Will Jack be here soon?"

"He should be." Isobel nodded.

It was tradition among common people for the groom and his party, whoever they might be, to come and "invite" the bride to the wedding. It usually involved some playful banter between the bridal party and the groom's party. Isobel preferred this tradition to the one of royals, which involved being walked down to the altar by an older male relative.

After Tira assured Isobel that she would be all right until her family and Jack came to collect her, Isobel went back out into the clearing.

The people were gathered around the altar, with plenty of room for Tira to walk down with Jack.

Isobel went to find Julien and Mikhailov. They had a good spot, with a view of the altar.

"Hi." Julien said quietly to Isobel. "I am not liking this rain."

Isobel smiled. "It's spring. It's not a bad sign."

Julien shrugged, but he did not argue. He was certainly more superstitious than Isobel.

Ajihad came up to the dais. He was wearing a robe of rich, cream colored fabric. The fabric was purposefully not made to be bright white, as that could confuse the spirits into thinking it was a funeral and they might harm the bride and groom. There were designs on the back, with the centerpiece being a bright red Firebird, which was a sign of good luck.

"Where is Jack?" Julien asked.

Isobel explained to him the tradition of _mogongoi_ ; the "inviting" of the bride to the wedding.

Julien nodded in understanding. "That sounds like fun!"

Isobel smiled at him, and soon it was time for the wedding to start.

Everyone watched as Tira's family came down the aisle first. They looked happy, but her mother was crying, as was expected. She dabbed at her tears with a red cloth.

Finally, everyone got to see the bride and groom.

Jack had a fresh feather in his hat, and O'Harty was by his side, to his left.

Isobel was glad that Jack's best friend could make it.

But Tira was who everyone looked at. She walked on Jack's right, her arm looped around his, and her hand clasping his hand.

She had a bright red shawl around her for even more good luck. Her flowers looked fresh even in the light rain.

O'Harty had an umbrella with him, and he held it over Jack and Tira as they walked down the aisle.

They came before Ajihad, who stood at the altar.

Ajihad motioned for everyone to sit, and they did.

Tira pulled on Jack's hand, indicating that they needed to kneel.

Jack passed his hat to O'Harty, and he knelt down with Tira.

Tira set down her bouquet, and she pulled Jack down with her as she bowed down, her forehead touching the wet earth. Jack was unsure, but he let his forehead touch the ground as well.

Ajihad came forward to touch their shoulder, and they stood back up.

The ceremony was not very long, and they were made to be husband and wife.

People clapped and cheered as Jack and Tira kissed.

Isobel wiped away a couple of tears, though she knew in her heart they were not just tears for Jack and Tira.

Immediately after the ceremony, Jack and Tira were presented with all sorts of gifts.

Villagers brought them auspicious foods to eat that would bless their marriage, such as fragrant jasmine rice and figs.

Tira's mother gave her gold bangles, which gleamed even without the sun.

"You are a wife now," her mother said, "You have earned these."

She slid the bangles up onto Tira's arms while Tira cried silently; happily, of course.

It was mainly Tira that received gifts since she was the bride, but Jack was given a few too.

Some villagers gave him new feathers that he could put in his hat when he felt like switching them out. Ajihad gave him a beautiful dagger that had sapphires on the ivory hilt.

"This is too kind." Jack insisted.

Ajihad only smiled. "Nonsense. You have become Isobel's brother, and therefore you are my nephew. And this is a gift suited for a nephew."

Jack finally gave in, and smiled back. "Thank you, Ajihad."

 **So this was a long chapter. I just had a lot to write for it, and I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and please review!**


	52. She Rules Us All

**So, fair warning on this chapter, there are going to be lots of emotions happening and it'll be lengthy with LOTS of details to see and remember. So read carefully, readers! See you on the other side.**

Chapter 52: She Rules Us All

By evening, the clouds had separated and the threat of rain was gone. The wedding had raised everyone's spirits, and they were confident that Ajihad's plan of cooperating with Alistair would work. The ruby had already been harvested and was being kept safe among Ajihad's things. It was a difficult process, breaking the earth on sacred ground, but they had done so carefully while Ajihad supervised.

The sheikh had stared long and hard at the ground, as though deep in his thoughts. Which no doubt, he was.

But now that was over, and the sun had set and everyone was back to celebrating Tira and Jack's marriage.

Torches and fires had been set up to light the party, and food was being passed around to everyone.

There was dancing and performing and simple traditional wedding rituals, such as congratulating the new couple as much as possible.

Tira could only dance so much with Jack, but he did not mind, as he had O'Harty to goof around with.

Many women gave Tira advice for her baby; some that she would use, and some she would not even think twice about. There were also name suggestions, but Tira was sure that she had already made up her mind.

"I don't want to tell you yet." Tira confided in Isobel. "One, because I don't really know if it's a boy or a girl, and two…I almost feel like it's bad luck to say so soon."

Isobel understood her friend's worry, as things had been very eventful lately. She smiled reassuringly. "Everything will be all right, Tira. The elders spoke as though the sky would fall onto us, and look how good this day has been."

Tira laughed, and splayed her fingers across her belly. "You're right, _chica_. Look at me, I should be celebrating and all I can do is sit here and worry about the future."

"But you can do that." Isobel sat closer to her. "It's okay to think about the future, especially now."

Tira nodded. "And what about you? Have you thought about what will happen with you and Julien now?"

Isobel sat back. She saw Julien with Jack, apparently trying to teach him a new dance move. "He's already asked me to marry him."

She saw Tira's face light up with a smile, but she spoke again.

"But, I said no."

Tira's smile faded. "But why not? He is perfect for you, Isobel, in a way. He has a sense of humor, he loves parties, he loves your people, and most importantly he loves _you._ Oh, I used to think no one would ever look at me the way he looks at you! _Y que hermoso._ "

Isobel's smile grew shyly across her face, and she felt her heart flutter. "I know. And I love him. But I am not ready to get married. I know I have no real reason – "

Tira stopped her. "That is a reason though. Yes, you are a royal, but you are free. There's no pressure for you to get married. It's okay to wait."

Isobel looked at her friend, and she was visibly relieved to hear that. "Thank you."

Ajihad came up to the girls, and they both looked up at him.

"Sheikh Ajihad." Tira addressed him.

Ajihad gave her a small smile. "Tira, I have something for you."

Tira was surprised. He had already given Jack a gift, and now one for her?

Ajihad brought his hands from behind his back, and golden silk spilled from them.

It was a beautiful blanket spun from gold silk, with patterns of Firebirds in flight, clouds, and the moon and stars. This was clearly no ordinary blanket.

He handed it to Tira, who was speechless. "Swaddle your child in this when they are born. This will protect them."

It was not unusual for charms or amulets to be given to newborn babies, but Isobel knew that Ajihad was not superstitious in that way.

"Thank you, Sheikh," Tira dipped her head a little, but it was hard as she tried to examine each intricate detail of her new swaddling blanket.

Ajihad looked over to Isobel, and she could tell that he wanted her to come with him.

She stood up and followed her uncle just to the edge of the village.

"I'm going to the forest."

Isobel did not find it unusual that he would do that, but he was being strange. " _Khal,_ please. Tell me what is wrong. You have not been yourself."

Ajihad gave her a smile, but it was weak. "Everything will be fine, Isobel."

That set Isobel on edge, her blood running cold.

But Ajihad embraced her, and Isobel embraced him back, squeezing him tightly.

She felt him tremble a little, and although she was not willing to let go, he gently pried her off.

He gave her one last smile, and he turned to walk towards the forest behind the dais. He stopped near Sequoyah, and Isobel watched as her uncle kissed her aunt's hands and then her face.

She could see concern etched across Sequoyah's face as Ajihad let go of her hands and walked away into the forest.

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Tira and Jack had already gone away to honeymoon on Jack's ship, but Tira assured her family that they were not leaving, and that they would be back in the morning.

When the couple left, the villagers began cleaning up, although they were in no rush as it was late and everyone was in good spirits.

Everyone except for Isobel and Sequoyah.

They were worried for Ajihad, and Isobel found Mikhailov so she could speak with him about it.

She wanted to speak Russian so Julien would not understand, but she had not practiced for a long time, and it was very broken.

Mikhailov instead switched over to Ta'li, but Julien had learned a fair share of Ta'li words from Isobel.

"What's wrong with your uncle?" He asked, concerned.

Isobel shook her head. "He is not himself. Perhaps…Perhaps you should leave for tonight."

Julien was taken aback, but he knew that Isobel did not mean it harshly. "Do you think something bad is going to happen?"

Isobel looked at him, her eyes beginning to glisten. "I do not know. But I would feel better if I knew you were safe."

Julien did not want to leave her, especially if something should happen. "But I can come tomorrow, yes?"

Isobel nodded. "Of course. When we come to the beach to give Alistair the ruby, you can go back with us."

Julien finally agreed. "Okay then. Good night, Isobel."

She gave him a kiss goodbye, and he was on his way back to his own people.

Mikhailov spoke up again. "Should ve follow your uncle?"

"You cannot." Sequoyah came up behind them, her voice firm and even. "He told me he will go to the Sacred Tree, and we are not allowed to disturb him there."

This relieved some of Isobel's anxiety. It was true, when a sheikh went to the Sacred Tree, usually to speak with ancestors or even Ellesmera, he could not be interrupted. It could ruin the connection or vision.

"But if he does not come back by midnight," Sequoyah continued, "We must send a search party for him."

Isobel agreed, but she did not know why Sequoyah herself was concerned, and so she asked.

"I know dark things wander this forest now." Sequoyah gestured towards the surrounding jungle. "I worry for him when he goes out late at night, no weapon in hand."

The way the fire danced on nearby tree trunks made the inner jungle look even darker than usual.

Isobel watched her aunt as she stared into the blackness, her ears swiveling back and forth.

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Ajihad felt the branches and the broadleaves that blocked his way with his fingertips. His crown became tangled in some vines, and he gently unwound the tendrils from it.

But the vine seemed to reach out again, and Ajihad sighed as he repeated the process.

"Please, my ancestors and gods, make up your minds."

Ajihad continued on his way.

He was nearly there.

He stepped into the clearing, passing by the place they had just dug up that day. He was not going to the Sacred Tree as he had said, and instead had gone back to where the ruby had once been.

He walked into the middle of the clearing, and a breeze wafted through his fur and crown.

He got down onto his knees, and bowed, his forehead touching the ground.

He had not prayed in so long, but now thought this would be the best time to.

The breeze continued on, but its pleasantness provided little relief to Ajihad.

He rose up unsteadily, and so he sat down, his legs crossed in front of him.

Ajihad laid his arms face up on the tops of his legs, so his hands drooped over his knees.

He closed his eyes, and took shaky breaths, a couple of tears beginning to stream down his face.

He was so terrified; afraid of what would soon come, afraid for the people, and afraid for Isobel.

 _Isobel._

Ajihad tried his best to focus on his niece, and his wife, and the jungle that he loved so much. He kept his eyes shut, but it was nearly impossible to ignore his pounding heart.

His senses were tuned in to everything around him in his heightened state of adrenaline.

He wished he could shut them off.

The breeze picked up and slowed down interchangeably, until he heard it.

He froze, his mind clawing for the memories he wanted to see. Instead, there was only white hot fear blaring in his brain.

He heard its body slither along the ground, climbing over upraised tree roots, and finally onto the smooth grass.

It felt like an eternity that he had to listen to the snake, and the fur on the back of his neck and arms stood up.

It took all of his willpower to keep his eyes closed. He did not want to see it.

Finally, the noise stopped, and the snake did not even flick out its tongue.

For a moment, there was only the jungle again, and Ajihad thought that perhaps his anxious heart had gotten the best of him, and that he had imagined the entire thing.

He opened his eyes.

But the snake was there beside him, its blazing eyes staring straight into his green ones.

Ajihad's breath came fast, and the snake lashed out.

Its fangs sank deep into Ajihad's wrist, and its venom coursed deeper and deeper through Ajihad's body with every beat of his heart.

Ajihad shook, his eyes wide open as he stared unblinking at the snake.

The viper.

The snake released Ajihad's wrist, his venom depleted, and Ajihad fell back.

He did not look at the snake now, and only stared into the blackness of the jungle.

The viper moved away, and quickly, it changed into another form.

Clopar watched Ajihad, his hands clasped behind his back.

He watched the sheikh's painful breaths become shallower as blood seeped from his wound.

He stepped forward, and kneeled down beside Ajihad.

"Look how your blood mixes with the earth," Clopar said quietly, almost soothingly. "This red, red earth. My vengeance has only begun, great sheikh."

But Ajihad was not listening. The light of life was fading from his eyes, but a new light began to shine for him, far away. One that only he could see.

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A powerful gust of wind blew through the village. It was so strong that it extinguished all of the fires, and everyone fell silent.

The jungle was quiet as well, and rain began to pour once more.

The only lights now were from the bioluminescent plants, and everyone huddled close, unsure of what had happened.

Sequoyah walked up shakily to Isobel. "Ajihad. We need to find Ajihad."

Isobel looked at Sequoyah's tired, anxious eyes, and knew that she needed to help her aunt. She turned to the people. "We must find our sheikh."

"Our sheikh cannot be lost." A man called out to her. His tone was not demeaning, and he even sounded afraid on this strange day. "He knows these jungles."

Isobel lifted her head, letting herself be strong. "Even sheikhs can become lost. Come, we will find him."

She gathered a search party of twelve men, as well as Mikhailov. The rest of them stayed behind to wait it out or to comfort Sequoyah.

The search party traveled along separate routes, Mikhailov and Isobel a pair, and the other twelve men split into four groups of three. They were all going in opposite directions, as Ajihad was known to traverse any part of the jungle. He was adventurous in that way.

Isobel and Mikhailov had been heading towards the Sacred Tree, as that had been where Ajihad said he would go.

But Isobel stopped, and looked down a path to their left.

"He did not come to the Sacred Tree." She said.

"Vhat do you mean?" Mikhailov asked her. "Where else vould he have gone?"

Isobel began walking down the path, back towards the place the ruby had been.

She had an unexplainable but certain feeling of dread as she approached closer and closer.

The rain was light, but it still hindered their vision a little.

Isobel stepped into the clearing, and it was hard to see with the rain and the lack of lighted plants.

Lightning struck overhead, and it was enough for Isobel to see Ajihad's silhouette.

She froze, and was unbelieving.

She did not feel herself walk ahead again, and was not even in her body when she kneeled down beside him.

Mikhailov understood what had happened, and ran back to where they had been, calling for the other search partiers.

Isobel reached down to feel Ajihad's wrist, hoping and praying she would feel a pulse. When she felt warm liquid instead, she drew her hand back up, and saw that it was blood.

Bile rose up in her throat.

She brought Ajihad's arm up, and saw the two bite marks.

 _Snake._

"No."

She thought perhaps to suck the venom out, but she knew she could only hurt him more with her own fangs. And it was too late.

Her tears mixed with the rain, and she laid her head on Ajihad's cold chest.

She screamed into his fur, her fists holding onto clumps of it.

She sat up and moved her arms down under his shoulders and head, hoisting his upper body up as much as she could so she was able to hold him.

She sobbed and did not notice that his beautiful crown had rolled off.

She would never see his eyes crinkle up in a smile, never hear his laugh, and never share stories with him again. Never.

She paid no heed to the warriors that ran into the clearing, and they called out in anguish as well.

They approached so that they could carry their sheikh away.

It wrenched their hearts to listen to Isobel's sobs, and they understood what this meant for her now.

Reluctantly, Isobel let go of Ajihad.

As two of the warriors picked him up, his arm dangled down, and she reached out to feel his fingertips once more as blood dripped from them.

"Aysobel." Mikhailov came up and wrapped his foreleg around her, and she cried into his chest.

The search party left without Isobel. It was crucial for Ajihad's funeral to begin immediately.

Mikhailov looked out into the clearing, and sighed.

 _Another life taken in this cursed place. It is not sacred._

Isobel was still crying, but softly. She backed away from Mikhailov.

"We have to go back."

Mikhailov nodded. He was shedding a few tears as well. Not just because he had come to love the sheikh, but he could feel Isobel's deeply rooted grief as well.

Isobel picked up her uncle's crown, cradling it to her chest.

The crown was as heavy as a lifeless body. It, too, was dead, no emotions flowing through its long feathers.

The walk to the village took centuries, and yet Isobel felt as though she had not walked at all.

She felt nothing now.

The scream Sequoyah let out when she saw her husband made Isobel squeeze her eyes shut.

The entire village wept, and knew that this day had been cursed.

Sequoyah was beside herself, and when the warriors began to set Ajihad's body down, she yelled, "No! Take his body to the Sacred Tree!"

An elder approached her. He looked distraught. "We cannot save him, Sequoyah. It is too late."

Sequoyah's glare sent the old man stepping back. "It is _not_ too late! The ancestors will give me my husband back. This was not meant to happen!"

At another time, this may have given Isobel a sense of hope. But even she had to agree with the elder; Ajihad was gone.

Still, the entire village began the trek to the Sacred Tree.

They had placed Ajihad on a board, and the same two warriors carried him between them.

Many people wept, but Sequoyah snapped at them.

"Weeping is for the dead." She proclaimed. "Ajihad is not dead."

This was her grief. She would not believe that her husband's fate had been sealed.

They came to the Sacred Tree, and its tendrils glowed blue as everyone stepped down onto the soil.

Ajihad was set down at the base of the tree, and Sequoyah kneeled beside him.

She waited patiently, almost serenely. She was certain this would work.

But the Tree did not change colors, and there was no breeze or wind indicating that Ellesmera was coming.

Sequoyah stared unmoving at the tree, and the people kept their crying quiet so as not to disturb her again. They were not angry for her reaction, and even hoped and prayed themselves that their sheikh could come back.

Then, a figure appeared from around the tree.

Sequoyah's heart sped up, but it was only Ajihad's mother, Nefertiri.

The people quieted and watched their former queen. They had not seen her for some time, and they saw the heartbreak in her eyes of enduring another dead child.

Nefertiri came up to Ajihad and Sequoyah, her face solemn.

She knelt down, and brought forth a pouch.

Instantly, Sequoyah growled at her, laying a protective arm over her husband.

She spoke harshly in Ta'li. "He is _not_ gone, Nefertiri. His soul is still bound to his body. Ellesmera will renew him."

And, just as she spoke, the tree began to glow brighter, and the wind picked up.

When all had settled down, Ellesmera was there before the tree. Her eyes were glowing white, as though she were blind. But it was not so, as she could see things in the clearing that no one else could.

Everything was quiet and calm as the guardian walked slowly towards Ajihad, her feathers blowing around in a breeze that was not there.

As she got closer to Ajihad, Sequoyah and Nefertiri moved out of the way.

The people watched in awe, as they had never seen this before.

Ellesmera stood over Ajihad's body, and she lowered his beak onto his chest. She scraped along his fur in a pattern, and gently touched his forehead with the tip of her claw.

"What are you doing?" Sequoyah's lips barely moved, as she knew what was happening.

Nefertiri gripped her daughter-in-law's shoulders.

Ellesmera lifted her head, and with it, came Ajihad's soul from his body.

It looked just like him, but in an opaque blue "body", his eyes as white as Ellesmera's. He had on a ghostly crown, just like his one on Earth.

"No!" Sequoyah cried.

Isobel watched in awe, sorrow, a mix of emotions. Her uncle was looking right at her.

And then the soul turned, and walked towards the tree.

He did not look back.

He vanished into the Sacred Tree, and the brightness returned to its blue glow.

Ellesmera blinked, and her eyes went back to their earthly blue color.

Sequoyah was weeping softly against Nefertiri, while she shed tears as well.

Isobel stood up, and walked over to her uncle. To his body.

Ellesmera stared at her.

"Isobel."

Isobel looked at the guardian, green eyes staring into blue.

"Why did this happen?" Isobel's voice was quiet. She wanted to understand, needed reasoning while the world was spinning around her.

"It is written." Ellesmera said simply.

Isobel could gather that all her own. She needed more. "Please. Tell me why this happened to my uncle. It was not his time. How could he have died only because of a snake bite, when he knew this jungle and its creatures so well?"

"This was no ordinary snake." Ellesmera's eyes flashed. "You know this, Isobel."

Isobel's heart dropped, and she felt her blood run cold. She dug her thumbnail into her index finger, denting her skin in. She could not lose herself now.

"Clopar."

The name fell from her lips like a lead weight.

Ellesmera began to turn away. "Avenge his death, Isobel. Save your people."

And she too, went back into the tree.

Isobel turned to her people, and they were all afraid and in mourning.

Her aunt and her grandmother steadily wept on the ground beside her.

She needed to be strong for the people now.

Isobel stood before all of them, careful to keep her hands from shaking. She wished that she could weep with her family, and share in their sorrows, but she had a new calling now.

"Your sheikh has been murdered." Isobel spoke loudly and clearly in Ta'li. "One among us in the jungle has betrayed us, and had betrayed Ajihad's good hospitality in allowing him to stay here. He is out there, waiting to strike again. In the morning, we will take our warriors and find him. We will slay him where he stand."

Her speech was met with war cries that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Although her people were filled with a spirit now, they needed to finish the mourning process and have a proper funeral for their good sheikh.

Ajihad's body was carried away back to the village, and Isobel was left alone with her grandmother, aunt, and Mikhailov.

All that she had left.

Nefertiri stood up, and carefully brought up Sequoyah with her.

She approached Isobel.

"Are you ready, child?"

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Isobel followed Nefertiri behind the dais, where Ajihad used to stay while he met with elders and watched over the people.

"I cannot." Sequoyah wept, stepping away from where she had only recently seen her husband.

Isobel felt her own emotions beginning to surge again.

"Be strong." Nefertiri told them both. "This must be done. The people need a leader."

Isobel knew this day would come, but it was meant for when Ajihad had lived out his life peacefully, and passed away in his sleep as an old man…

She shook her head.

"Sit." Nefertiri instructed her.

Isobel kneeled down onto her knees, and sat back.

Nefertiri had brought a bag with her, and she pulled out a needle and cork to pierce Isobel's ears.

It would need to be done six times, as she had six piercings already.

The pain would be great.

Isobel stared at her grandmother and shook her head.

Nefertiri frowned. "A sheikrah must know the pain –"

It was the same story Ajihad had told her.

"Give me sheikh's piercings." Isobel told her.

Mikhailov raised his eyebrows at her request. But he expected no less from his lion-hearted rider.

Nefertiri quieted. Those were excruciating, and because of that, were reserved for the sheikhs.

"I can endure it." Isobel laid back, her head on a hard, flat stone.

Even Sequoyah had stopped weeping so hard. She stepped forward to watch her niece's piercing ceremony.

Ordinarily, this was done in front of the people.

But this was a rare exception.

Isobel folded her hands over her stomach. She was shaking slightly, but she did not realize it.

"Take this." Her grandmother gave her a cloth. "Do not bite your cheek."

Isobel bit down on the cloth, and closed her eyes.

"I am here for you, Lady Aysobel." Mikhailov whispered.

"I need your help, Sequoyah." She heard her grandmother say.

Sequoyah kneeled down beside Isobel, and Nefertiri handed her a rock and the spike.

They did not count, so as not to make Isobel more nervous.

Tears streamed from Isobel's eyes and her scream was hardly muffled by the cloth.

The spikes drove through the thin flesh of her ears, and they ran them through one after the other.

And then they forced thin studs of jade through the bleeding holes.

"It is done." Her grandmother told her.

Isobel's eyes blinked open. The whites were red, but she cried no more as she took the rag from her mouth and sat up.

Her ears were throbbing and pounding.

While Sequoyah cleaned them thoroughly, Nefertiri walked into _nyumbani_ to where the crowns of great sheikhs before her were stored. Some had never been worn, and some had not been worn for centuries.

This would be Isobel's crowning ceremony, in the middle of the night, with only three beings as witnesses.

Isobel was staring down at the ground, attempting to ignore the burning pain of Sequoyah rubbing at her wounds.

She heard her aunt gasp softly, and she looked up.

Her grandmother held a feathered crown in her hands.

It was a war bonnet, with beautiful black feathers that were dyed red and then a heavenly blue towards the band. The feathers were of an extinct bird who had drank nectar and had ruby eyes. The band was simple, and stitched with pieces of obsidian. This headdress was centuries old, and had only seen battle during its usage. All of these feathers had been earned by great sheikhs before Isobel. She intended to gain more.

Isobel stood, and faced her grandmother.

Nefertiri approached her.

"Kneel, Isobel."

Isobel bent down onto her knees, and lowered her head.

Nefertiri spoke aloud the sacred verses for a crowning ceremony.

" _Blessed be the crown I cast upon her head._

 _Spirits, guide her from waking until bed._

 _All hail the Empress,_

 _Long live her people, her kingdom, and her lineage._

 _All hail the Sheikrah._

 _She rules us all."_

The crown was heavy, and not just for her head.

Instantly, Isobel felt a surge as the crown honed in on her emotions, and the feathers bounced to life. The feathers cascaded down her back, ending at just below her waist. They were not connected at the end, and the leather that the feathers were stitched to laid flat against her.

She opened her eyes, and arose.

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The village was lit only enough so the people could see what they were doing.

Women hastily sewed garlands of white flowers together. The also used blue flowers, as they had been Ajihad's favorite.

The men built the small, closed boat that Ajihad's ashes would be placed in to float down the river as was custom.

How he loved the ocean.

More men were setting up the pyre for the sheikh, and they laid his body, along with his crown, on top. They wrapped him in many layers of linen, and climbed down from the wooden pyre.

One of the men was about to get Sequoyah, as she was supposed to be there for the cremation.

But they saw Nefertiri walk out onto the dais, and all the people looked her way.

"Ta'li." She began. "Tonight, you are given a new sheikrah in the wake of our tragedy. Sheikrah Isobel."

Isobel walked forward onto the dais, all of her shakiness and nerves melted away.

She was sheikrah now, lion hearted and protector of her people.

She held her head high, balancing her beautiful headdress.

The people admired their new queen, and were impressed by her sheikh's piercings.

Some of the men thumped their chests and then gave her war cries, and then the women joined in.

They chanted her name and praised the spirits for having sent her back to them.

" _She rules us all!"_

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Isobel held her aunt's hand while the elder prayed, his hands upturned towards the heavens, his eyes closed.

The pyre burned on, its flames hot and consuming.

Sequoyah, and many others, wept softly.

Isobel stared into the fire, the light turning her eyes from green to gold.

Ajihad did not need this ceremony, as his soul had already been lifted by Ellesmera at the Sacred Tree.

But it was tradition.

When the flames died out, and it had cooled, the elders went and scraped his ashes into a pot.

It would be dawn in a few hours.

The entire village walked down to the river, and the small boat was set in the water.

Men stepped into the shallow water to steady the boat while an elder poured the ashes into the inner compartments in the boat.

One by one, the people came forward to lay a garland across the sheikh's coffin boat.

Sequoyah laid herself across it, sobbing as she gave her final goodbyes. She kissed the boat, and then stepped out of the water and back onto the shore.

Everyone have Isobel room when she stepped down into the water, her feathers just above the softly rippling river.

Her uncle was the last bit of her mother she had had. Her grandmother was alive, but she did not have the same blood of her mother as Ajihad did. She did not have the same stories or memories or guidance. And now Ajihad was no more.

He would never see her be married, never play with her children, and never grace this jungle in an earthly body the same way.

He was no more.

Isobel placed her palms down on the wood, and laid her forehead down onto it.

"Guide me, great sheikh." She whispered. "Do not let me forget."

 **Wow, you guys. This is a huge turning point for the book; trust me, nothing will be the same. I had a very hard time writing this chapter. I truly did not want to kill Ajihad off. I wish he could still be here. But, he had to go for a reason. Thank you so much for sticking with it, and please review!**


	53. Run

Chapter 53: Run

"This is our chance, Katia." Topaz whispered to the Firebird.

Dawn was approaching, and the mist of the night was beginning to dissipate.

Katia glanced back at the tall grass. She knew Clopar was not there, but she always feared that he was within earshot.

"But, eef he catches us…" Katia trailed off.

"He will." Topaz nodded. "Me, at least. But when you run, Katia, you can warn everyone. Do not let them come without help. Warn them of Clopar's armies, and the plans that we know. This is our destiny, Katia."

Katia traced a claw across the grass and dirt. She sighed, and looked into Topaz's eyes.

"I will do it." She nodded, and straightened up. "But when I am gone…What will he do to you?"

"I've earned his favor." Topaz assured her. "He'll trust that I did not know about your plans of mutiny. I can work from the inside."

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Isobel did not sleep.

She continually reached up to twist a hoop earring, but was greeted with a strong stab of pain and a fresh flow of blood every time.

Sequoyah was restless as well, frozen in a zombie state. She paced the village like a ghost, watching, but not seeing.

She came up to Isobel while she sat on the throne to clean her piercings with a strong solution of oils. This would need to be done for a few days to help them heal.

Sequoyah was gentle with Isobel's ears, but Isobel would not have noticed, as she too was numb.

Watching, but not seeing.

The people tried to rest, as they knew their new sheikrah would need them in her time of mourning. They needed a strong leader, but they could understand her silence for now.

The warriors were antsy, as they itched to catch whoever had killed their sheikh. Their blood roiled, and they were ready to go on the hunt with their queen.

Sequoyah finally sat beside Isobel, in her own throne.

She folded her hands in her lap, and sat at the edge of the throne.

Isobel noticed, and she stared at her aunt. This was how she had been the last time she saw her father in Atlantis; perfectly poised. There is nothing wrong.

A red line peeked over the horizon, turning the sky from black to pink to blue.

It was time.

Isobel stood, steady as she could, and walked into _nyumbani_.

Nefertiri was there. Isobel thought she had already left for the Sacred Tree, but it seemed her grandmother wanted to stay in the village just a little longer.

She was just sitting, as though she had waited hours for Isobel to come.

She was holding the ruby in her hands. She turned it over, and watched it gleam.

"All for a ruby." Nefertiri spoke up. "And now…"

She shook her head, and looked up at Isobel. She handed the stone to her.

"End this, child."

"I will try." Isobel told her. "No one will die in vain again."

Her grandmother gave her a weak smile. "If only it could be that way."

Isobel walked out of the great tree. The ruby was heavy in her hands.

The village still smelt of smoke, and there was no breeze to whisk it away.

She stepped down from the dais, and a small group of her warriors gathered around her.

"We are ready, sheikrah." The leader of them, Tarik, looked down at her.

He was tall and had black fur. He carried a bow and had a quiver slung across his back.

The other warriors were grouped behind him, and they waited for Isobel's command.

She turned and began to walk out of the village. The warriors filed along behind while the people watched them go.

Mikhailov stayed with them, however. He stood beside Sequoyah's throne, and he remained quietly at her side.

The sheikrah and her warriors passed silently into Madagascar.

Isobel kept her face ridged, but as they neared Julien's home, she felt her eyes grow moist.

He had no idea.

She had her warriors skirt around Julien's village so as not to wake them.

The sand was cool beneath her feet as they stepped down onto the beach.

She did not see the penguins' helicopter, and gathered that they had left. She was surprised to find herself hurt, but she had banished them. What were they supposed to do?

She looked forward again, and saw Alistair and his henchmen ready for her down the beach.

The two groups came close to each other and stopped.

Alistair and Isobel separated from the group and walked up to another.

Alistair stared at her strangely. "Where is the king?"

"The sheikh is dead." Isobel's eyes were unseeing and her voice barely waivered.

Alistair raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. He did not care.

Isobel held out the ruby. "Leave my home, and do not come back."

Alistair took the ruby, and chuckled while he looked over it greedily. "I make no promises, sweetheart."

Isobel turned away to go back, but Alistair spoke up.

"Wait!"

Isobel looked over her shoulder, and noticed that he had a box with him.

He held it out to her. "One of your old friends left this with me."

Isobel paused, but she went back to retrieve it.

The moment she saw it up close, she knew instantly what it was. She gripped it tightly, but she longed to cast it into the ocean.

The two groups parted ways, and just as Isobel stepped foot in the jungle again, she heard Alistair's helicopter start up.

She led her warriors around Julien's village again. She was not ready to see him.

"Isobel?"

She stopped, and the warriors halted with her. They turned to face Julien, but Isobel did not look.

She stood still, and stared ahead as she began to shake. She clutched the box.

"Isobel? What's happening? Why are you wearing that?"

He touched her shoulder, and finally Isobel turned to him.

He gasped. Her piercings had stopped bleeding, but Isobel knew they still looked gruesome.

Julien's eyes traveled to her war bonnet, and back to her face.

"Where is Ajihad?"

Isobel's lips moved, but no sound came.

"What?" Julien searched her face, concern crossing his own.

Isobel took him away from her warriors and back onto the regular path.

She set her box down, and looked Julien in the eyes.

"He's dead." Isobel's eyes brimmed over. She began to shake her head. "He's dead, Julien."

She brought her hands up to her mouth, and they shook as she began to sob again.

Julien wrapped his arms around her as tears leaked from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Isobel."

After a moment, Isobel stepped away. She stayed within arms' reach as she looked up at him. "I am sheikrah now. It is my duty to protect my people."

Julien nodded. "I know. I know all about being a king, I can help you."

"No." Isobel stopped him. "Clopar did this. He murdered my uncle. My people want vengeance, and that is what they will have. My warriors will find him, and make him pay the debt he owes. You cannot come to Talamaru, Julien. It is not safe."

Julien was hurt, for many reasons. "I can help, Isobel. I'll be fine!"

Isobel shook her head. She looked as though she was trying not to cry again. "Please, stay away. I will not let you get hurt. When it is safe, I will come back."

"But I am worrying about you." Julien took her hands. "Please, my queen, I do not want to lose you to that maniac again." A look of desperation crossed his face, and Isobel tried to interpret it. He got down onto his knees. "Please, be marrying me before you go. We can have an all of the sudden wedding, like Jack and Tira! Right, that was fun?"

Isobel stared down at him, her eyes still gleaming.

The moment she began to shake her head, Julien's heart broke all over again.

He looked down, and Isobel let go of his hands.

He did not get up.

For a moment, he supposed she would just leave, but she crouched down in front of him.

"Julien." She spoke softly. "I love you. But I am not – "

"Apparently you don't." Julien's head shot up. Tears streamed down his face, but he was clearly angry.

Isobel's eyes went wide. He had never looked at her like this before.

"You are always saying you are not ready." Julien continued, and he stood up. Isobel followed suit. "Well, when will you be ready? I love you, but you are not loving me back! And you think I am too stupid to even help you."

"Julien, please."

Julien folded his arms, and turned away. "Maybe Mauve was right. I should not have chosen you."

Isobel stepped back, completely stunned. Her mouth tasted sour and it felt like she had been kicked in the chest.

She stared at his back, and blinked.

Her words were blocked in her throat, and she dashed back to her waiting warriors.

Julien stared hard at the ground, and shook from a chill only he could feel.

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Skipper looked up at the ceiling of the Charley from his sleeping bag. His eyes stung, and his body felt hollow.

He could not eat, and he did not even make his usual coffee.

He only felt a sickening lurch in his stomach when he saw Isobel's face in his mind.

"Skipper." Kowalski waddled up to him. "We should leave soon if you wish to follow our projected timeline."

He looked down at his leader, concerned. Kowalski did not like what Skipper had done either, but he knew Skipper needed someone.

Private was not speaking to Skipper at all, and Rico had been silent the whole time.

They were in South Africa to fuel up, bound for Australia. Skipper had been offered a job there long ago, and he was hoping the invitation for he and his team was still open.

Skipper sat up. "Let's get this show on the road." His voice cracked from being parched.

The team would need to go back to Madagascar one last time, as they needed to retrieve some of their crates from Jack's ship.

His crew had thrown them overboard in the night, but some washed back up onto the shore.

They needed to salvage whatever they could for their new journey.

Skipper looked back at Private, who was huddled up in his own sleeping bag. He pretended to be asleep, and Skipper could clearly see that.

He sighed, and jumped up to the pilot's seat.

Kowalski flipped on the engines, and within a few minutes, they were airborne.

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Isobel was dry-eyed by the time she and the warriors made it back to the village.

She ascended the dais, and addressed the people.

"Alistair is gone." She felt the feathers of her headdress move as she spoke. She could never hide her emotions while wearing it. "Now, please, rest. You have all helped me, and now it is my time to serve you. We will be safe again."

Mikhailov trotted up to her as she walked behind the dais. "Now, ve find him."

He saw Isobel's face, and, although she had every reason in the world to be heartbroken, there was less light in her eyes than when she had left.

"Vhat ees wrong, my lady?" He asked her.

Isobel looked at him, her usual glow cast away. "Julien has turned his back to me."

Mikhailov was shocked. "Vhat? Now, of all times?"

He bristled up, his anger beginning to boil. But his expression changed, and instead he sighed.

"You do not deserve thees, Aysobel. None of eet."

"No one does." Isobel picked up Ajihad's bow. It was heavier than hers, and would be useful for farther range.

But she would need to practice with it before using it, and so she placed it back in its holder, unstrung.

Instead, she reached for his dagger. All of his weapons were now hers, but she still felt strange reaching for them.

The dagger was not as grand as the one Ajihad had given Jack, but the hilt did not matter to Isobel. The blade, only slightly curved, held its own purpose.

She dropped it into her quiver, and slung both that and her bow onto her back.

She glanced at his spear, which had been passed down to him. It was ancient, older than the Ta'li themselves, and the people knew that it held mysterious powers. Powers that were meant to protect the ruler and the people.

Mikhailov cleared his throat. "Ve should go, Aysobel. The warriors are ready."

He kneeled down, and Isobel climbed up onto his back.

As Mikhailov walked through the village, Sequoyah's mother stopped them.

"Sheikrah," she looked up at Isobel, pleading, "What about my daughter? Is she safe with Jack?"

"She is safer out there than here with us." Isobel promised. "My brother would do anything for her, Maria. Tira will not be harmed."

Maria nodded, and stepped away. She trusted Isobel.

Isobel was glad that Tira was with Jack. She wanted to go to Jack's ship and tell him of everything that had happened, but she knew that if she had, both he and Tira would have followed her back. She did not want that while things were this chaotic.

The party could only guess where Clopar would be in the jungle.

But with all sixty of the skilled warriors the village could provide, they could cover more ground. They would find him before day's end.

Isobel directed five groups of ten in all directions, and kept Tarik's group with her.

They headed towards the eastern edge of the jungle, while three groups had gone to the north, and the rest to the south.

The warriors were silent, bows at their sides, and ready to draw an arrow. The panned out every now and then into the undergrowth, but immediately came back to Isobel and Mikhailov's side when there was nothing to be found.

They used hand motions and used silent gestures to guide and direct each other.

A few warriors darted out from the path again.

There was a low bird's whistle, but the warriors on the path knew it was one of their own.

Tarik responded with a musical whistle, and everyone followed him to where the others were.

"Sheikrah," one of the warriors was crouched down, examining the ground. He picked up an arrowhead. "This is not one of ours."

He passed it to Tarik, who gave it to Isobel.

It was made of obsidian, just like theirs, but the cut was entirely different. The edges were more pointed and jagged.

"Not meant to easily be pulled from the flesh." Tarik told her helpfully in Ta'li. "That is from the north."

Isobel gave it back to him. "Why would it be here?"

Tarik shook his head. "Perhaps this Clopar has gotten help from the Yo'Huac, in the mountains. The Yo'Huac do not like us. It would be easy."

"Perhaps." Isobel and Mikhailov turned back onto the trail, and the warriors began to search again.

"Are the Yo'Huac a warrior tribe as well?" Mikhailov asked Isobel.

"Yes." Isobel looked up into the trees, watching for any signs of someone hiding. Trees had always been Clopar's ideal hiding place. "They are not so fierce as my father's people. But they do not fight clean. They are best at camouflage and – "

The warrior beside Isobel quickly drew an arrow and spun to his left, but before he could loose the arrow, a dart struck him in the neck.

Isobel gasped, and Mikhailov stepped to the side.

They both looked down at the warrior. The dart had a bright pink plume at the end of it.

"Poison darts." Mikhailov said under his breath.

He dashed off the trail and into the undergrowth, where it would be harder for the hidden marksmen to hit them.

Tarik and the warriors ran up to Isobel.

"You must go back to the village now!" Tarik warned her as he stepped closer. "We can – "

He and the rest of the warriors were swopped up into a net, and they dangled in the open air.

"Run!" He yelled as they tried to free themselves.

While Isobel hesitated, Mikhailov did not, and he ran.

But he did not go straight to the village, for he knew they had a greater chance of being caught going back the same way.

He zigzagged through the trees, and Isobel held on for dear life.

Mikhailov's mind raced as he calculated which way to go. He did not know this part of the jungle. All he knew was that they needed to get out of it as quick as possible.

Finally, he came to the edge of the jungle, and all that lay before them was an open field of tall grasses.

It looked peaceful, the way the breeze floated through it, but Mikhailov knew being out in the open was usually a hazard.

Isobel sat up and peered out. She was shaken up, but she took strength in Mikhailov.

"Jackals hunt here."

"I am not vorried about jackals." Mikhailov said as he walked into the grass.

It was tall enough to brush Isobel's thighs, and she realized how visible she was.

She hopped down from Mikhailov's back and walked by his side.

Mikhailov's ears swiveled every direction.

He and Isobel both heard the rustling that was not caused by the wind.

Mikhailov crouched down, and twitched his tail. He snarled. "Run!"

Isobel did not hesitate this time, and she ran through the grass, away from the noises and to the opening of the jungle on the other side.

Her heart was hammering as she pushed the grass aside, not knowing if a Yo'Huac or someone else would appear before her.

She stopped once the grass ended, and Mikhailov bounded out behind her.

They ran together through the forest, staying off of the path. They needed to get back to the village to warn the people.

But as they closed in on the village, they could already hear screams and yelling of the people.

They smelled smoke.

Isobel ran faster, but a creature tumbled out from the trees.

Katia collided with Isobel.

"Isobel!" She was breathless.

"Katia?" Mikhailov asked, uncertainty in his voice. "Vhat – "

"Clopar ees closing in." Katia spoke quickly. "I am running away from him. I will tell everyone I see in Madagascar what ees happening, but I will not let them come back without an army. Please believe me. Come with me!"

"I will not leave my people." Isobel was anxious to reach them. She glanced in the direction of the village. She felt the weight of her headdress, and she removed. "Take this."

She pushed it towards Katia.

"What?" Katia was confused.

"I do not want it to be destroyed." Isobel explained. "Take it!"

Quickly, Katia slipped her beak through it and slid it down onto her neck.

She took one last look at Isobel and Mikhailov, and she was gone.

Isobel and Mikhailov ran again towards the chaos.

Isobel was ahead of Mikhailov, and as she sprinted, a pair of warriors jumped down from the branches above her. They grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back.

"Aysobel!" Mikhailov yelled.

Several warriors jumped down onto his back, and he crashed down onto the ground.

Isobel struggled against the Yo'Huac warriors. They were bigger than Ta'li, and had grips like snakes.

Mikhailov growled as he stood back up, but the Yo'Huac were prepared and they threw barbed ropes across him.

They pulled down with all their might, and Mikhailov screeched as the spikes were driven into his back and sides.

"No!" Isobel screamed, and her sides burned.

Mikhailov fell back down to the ground.

Isobel lifted up her arm, where the warrior held her at her wrist.

She bit into his hand and he yelped as he let go.

She threw the other warrior off balance and over her head as she ducked down.

Furiously, the warrior she bit lunged out and caught her left hand before she could run to Mikhailov.

Isobel quickly nudged off her quiver, and reached into it for her dagger.

But she came up with an arrow, and that would have to do.

She plunged it into his shoulder with a yell.

But he only winced, and used his other hand to pull it back out.

He smiled creepily at her. His dark brown eyes were familiar.

"Ta'li arrows are no good for staying in." He said in a heavy Yo'Huac accent.

Isobel was wide-eyed, and the other warrior came up and seized her other arm.

The Yo'Huac she stabbed held a knife to the tip of her ear.

"You don't need this, do you?"

"Stop, Eztli!"

Everyone looked to the source of the voice.

Chimera had jumped down from the branches above as well.

She had two swords, one on each hip. She smirked at Isobel, and approached the sheikrah.

She examined Isobel's piercings. She did not know what they meant, and she reached out to touch them.

Isobel winced, and Chimera smiled. "Oh, sorry, princess."

Instantly, Isobel narrowed her eyes, and defended her title. "I am no princess. I am the sheikrah."

The Yo'Huac warriors were at first stunned, but Eztli, the one who held a knife to her, began to laugh.

"A woman ruler." He sneered. "Maybe this is why your men were so easy to catch."

"Come on." Chimera skipped ahead towards the village. "Clopar is waiting."

 **Thanks for reading! Sorry if there are errors. Please remember to review!**


	54. Shajaea

Chapter 54: Shajaea

Tira opened the cabin door and stepped out onto the deck. The breeze off of the ocean was refreshing, and she smiled as the warm sun enveloped her.

She was glad to be alone on the deck, as the rest of the crew was still sleeping below. They were no doubt exhausted from their celebratory party the night before.

Not to mention Tira and Jack had completely cleaned them out in a poker game around one in the morning.

She walked over to the railing and glanced down at the water. Instantly, staring at the sloshing water made her feel ill.

"Bad idea." She backed away and took a deep breath. She brought her hand up to her mouth, and her new bangles jingled as she did so. "Ugh."

She glanced over to the beach, and her eyes widened as she saw Katia galloping down the beach.

Katia unfurled her speckled wings and flew up onto the deck in front of Tira.

"Where ees Jack?" She panted. Her violet eyes spelled danger.

"Jack!" Tira yelled, and did not take her eyes off of Katia.

The cabin door swung open, and Jack stumbled out, his hat askew. He blinked in the bright sun, and he was poised with his sword. "What is it, what happened?"

He looked over to where Tira was, and saw Katia.

"Oh." He sheathed his sword and sauntered over to the two. "What can I do for you?"

Katia dipped her head down, and for the first time, Jack and Tira noticed the feathered headdress she had around her neck. It slid off onto the deck.

Jack picked it up and examined it with a furrowed brow. "What does this mean?"

Katia finally spoke. "It's Isobel."

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Julien paced back and forth, his arms crossed.

Maurice came up to him. "What's bothering you?"

Julien paused, and looked down at his friend. "Isobel."

"I know what you mean, man." Maurice chuckled. "It's hard dealing with girls sometimes and – "

"No, Maurice." Julien stopped completely to face him. "It's over! I'm done just sitting around and feeling stupid. Besides, she doesn't love me anyway."

Maurice was shocked. "Wait, what? Hold on. What did you just say?"

Julien tilted his head and straightened up. He spoke more quietly. "I said, it's over – "

"No, no, no." Maurice closed his eyes and waved his hands. He looked back at Julien. "Isobel doesn't _love_ you? Are you stupid or something?"

Now Julien was shocked. He put his hands on his hips. "Maurice! How dare you, you stupid little monkey!"

Maurice lowered his brow. "You see, man, right there. You can't take it, because you know you made a mistake."

Julien was silent.

"Of course Isobel loves you. She's stuck with you all this time. She made it through Mauve, and, when you asked her to marry you the first time, she didn't leave even then. Yeah, she said no, but it was only because _she isn't ready_. Why can't you understand that?"

Julien sighed, and he dropped his arms. "You are right, Maurice. I am a big dummy! How could I have done that? It was not very kingly of me. And right after he uncle died too."

Maurice practically jumped out of his skin. "Wait, _what_? Oh man. Oh man, you messed up _big._ What even happened?"

Julien took a deep breath. "Okay, so, Isobel came here today to give the ruby thingy to Alistair – he's so rude, I cannot believe that guy – and then I saw her. And she has this big crown! Bigger than mine, Maurice, it goes down her back and has these feathers."

"A headdress?"

"Maurice, who is telling the story here? Shut up a little bit. Anyways, she told me that her uncle died, and now, I guess, she is being the queen. And I told her I can help her, I know all about being king! But no, she doesn't want my help, it's too dangerous and I'm too stupid. And so I asked her to be my queen again, and she says no. And so I said some things maybe I should not have been saying and she left. I suppose I can see where I messed up here."

Maurice shook his head. "There are not enough flowers in this entire jungle to fix this mess."

"Julien!"

Maurice and Julien turned to the angry shouts.

Jack was furiously coming towards them, his brow lowered and his hand brushing over the hilt of his sword.

Jack stepped right up into Julien's face, and Maurice backed away. "Did you know about this?"

He pointed behind him, and Katia was trotting towards them, with a distraught Tira beside her.

Tears streaked down her face as she held her friend's headdress.

Julien quickly looked between all three of them. He backed away a little, but Jack only stepped closer.

"You knew, didn't you?" Jack's voice quivered. He looked unbelieving at Julien.

Julien held his hands. "Well, I, uh – "

"And you didn't come to tell me!" Jack unsheathed his sword, and Tira only cried louder.

"Okay, hold on, hold on." Maurice nervously stepped between Julien and Jack.

The king and the pirate looked down at the aye-aye.

"I think we all know that Julien probably misunderstood the severity of the situation." Maurice spoke calmly. "But now that we're all on the same page, we can start to make a plan, right?"

Jack looked back at Julien. "Clopar did this, Julien. He murdered Ajihad."

"I know, Isobel told me that." Julien folded his arms. "And she had a bunch of warrior guys with her. She said they would handle it."

"Do you not remember what Clopar is capable of?" Jack sheathed his sword. He spoke more quietly, but he was still angry. "And they could not handle it. Clopar has taken Talamaru."

Julien's eyes widened. "What?"

Katia stepped forward. "I ran just as Clopar was taking the village. I know that they caught Isobel and Mikhailov."

Julien blinked. His mouth opened, but he was lost for words. "But… I just saw her this morning. She…everything was okay."

He stopped talking, and was silent. He bit down onto his thumbnail. His heart thumped painfully, and he felt sick. He wished more than ever that he could take back the words he had said to Isobel.

"We have to help her now." Jack said decisively.

" _Non._ " Katia was firm. "You cannot go back without a plan, without more people. Talamaru will be swarming with enemies. Eet would not be smart."

Jack inhaled through his nose, and drummed his fingers on his sword. He walked away and began to pace as he fumed and tried to configure a plan.

Tira sniffed as she looked down at the headdress, and felt the feathers between her fingers. She was terribly worried for her family. She was afraid of what could happen to them, and she was afraid for Isobel. Her friend's life had changed entirely in one night, and she had not been able to be there.

"I can take that." Maurice held up his arms.

Tira nodded and passed it down to him.

He looked around, and decided that the best place to put it would be under his smoothie bar. It seemed safe enough.

"We're going to need the penguins." Julien finally spoke up.

Everyone turned to him.

"They should be coming back." Jack agreed. "They left crates on my ship. It's all on the beach now, but they'll come back for it."

And, as if on cue, the small group heard the whirring sound of the chopper as it flew close.

They all ran out onto the beach and shielded their eyes as the blades kicked up sand.

The engine shut off, and the propellers slowly began to stop spinning.

The door slid open, and all of the penguins hopped out. They looked surprised to see everyone there, but they knew it was not a welcoming party.

"Skipper." Jack stepped forward.

Skipper regarded him for a moment, but said nothing while the rest of his team shuffled past him. They walked towards the water to begin collecting their things.

"Wait."

Kowalski, Rico, and Private turned to Jack. They glanced at Skipper, but he only stared at Jack and folded his flippers.

"You betrayed my sister." Jack began. "You broke her heart. I do not blame her for sending you away like that."

Skipper sighed. "Look, Jack, if this is about making me feel lousier than I already do, good luck."

Jack shook his head. "How would you like to redeem yourself?"

"I highly doubt I can fix this." Skipper almost laughed. "You heard her."

He turned away to go help his team.

"We need your help." Jack finally admitted.

But Skipper still did not stop. "I'm sure she'd prefer you get someone else!"

Before Jack could speak, Julien interrupted.

"Clopar has her, Skipper. He has everyone."

A chill went down Skipper's spine.

"What?" He turned around. "How, with Ajihad there? And Mikhailov?"

"The sheikh is dead." Tira spoke up. "Isobel is sheikrah now. He attacked this morning."

Private gasped. He waddled over to Tira and laid a flipper on her arm. "I'm so sorry. What about your family?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I only heard about this when Katia came."

She gestured to the Firebird, who had been silent the whole time.

Rico had come up to Skipper, and was speaking wild gibberish to him as he pulled on his flipper and pointed at the jungle.

"I know, Rico!" Skipper ran his flippers over his eyes exhaustedly.

"Skippa." Private spoke firmly to his leader. "We have to help. It doesn't matter what you did, she's our friend and she needs help."

Skipper exhaled and put his flippers on his hips. And it was like an instant transformation.

"Well, Private, why wouldn't we help? Gather around, everyone, we need to start planning." He looked over at Katia, and she blinked back at him. "Frenchie, tell me everything you know about what went down this morning, and what he plans to do after this."

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Eztli dragged Isobel towards the village by her elbow. He had bound her wrists and gagged her, and she tried with all her might to wrestle free from him.

But she was like dragging a mouse to him, and he barely moved when she pushed and pulled.

She eyed the wound on his hand. Her venom, what little of it had mingled with his blood, was working its way into his flesh.

She let Eztli lead her as she craned her neck up to see the sunlight filtering through the canopy.

The jungle had gone quiet aside from the screams of her people.

She tried to let her mind go, to let the last bit of hope enter her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut, but she could not close out her people.

Mikhailov was being led a ways behind her. His maw had been muzzled shut, as they knew a Firebird's ability to breathe fire.

Isobel turned to look at him, but Eztli jerked her forward.

They stepped out from the jungle path, and into the village.

The sight before her nearly made Isobel drop to her knees.

Terrified children were separated from weeping mothers and distraught fathers. Warriors were forced to drop their weapons and were bound. Elders pleaded to no avail.

A fire had been started in the center of the village, and the smoke blurred out the dais.

As Eztli and Isobel walked around the fire, the smoke began to clear.

Isobel's heart dropped low in her stomach when Clopar came into her vision.

She stopped in her tracks and took a shaky breath.

Eztli looked down at her and snarled as he yanked her up onto the dais.

He brought her before Clopar, and shoved her down onto her knees.

She did not want to look up. She did not want to see his abhorrent face.

But she was sheikrah.

Slowly, she raised her head, and defiantly looked her captor in the eyes once again.

Clopar had his hands folded behind his back, and he raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the queen.

He crouched down, and Isobel willed herself not to flinch.

He did not reach out to touch her, but instead studied her ears, her face.

"They made you sheikrah already." Clopar broke the silence. "Was Ajihad even cold yet?"

Isobel narrowed her eyes and flexed her wrists every which way to remove them from the ropes.

Clopar smirked, and rose back up. He addressed Eztli.

"Was it really necessary to bind her like this? I so enjoy her remarks towards me."

Eztli showed Clopar the back of his hand, where his wound was beginning to fester. "You see this? Snake woman does this to Eztli, and so Eztli binds her."

Before Eztli could react, Clopar grabbed the knife from Eztli's belt, and gripped his wrist.

Quickly, he cut a gash from one fang hole to the next.

Eztli winced, and Clopar handed him his knife back.

"Let it bleed." He said simply. "You are of the Snake People, act like it."

He turned back to Isobel, and slipped her gag over her head. It caught on her piercings, and she winced.

He removed the ropes from her wrists, and she stood to face him.

"Why have you done this?" Her voice wavered.

"Why?" Clopar repeated. A smile crossed his lips. "I thought you might have guessed by now, princess."

He walked up to the front of the dais and looked on at all the scared, uncertain Ta'li.

He motioned to the Yo'Huac warriors, and they pushed everyone forward.

"Talamaru," Clopar spoke loud and clear, "Is mine. From now on, Ta'li culture is outlawed. Anyone participating in any traditions of the Ta'li will be put to death. Your culture, from this day on, will be destroyed."

More warriors began to spill out from _nyumbani_. Chimera was among them.

Each held a ceremonial or sacred item in their arms, and they filed towards the fire.

Ancient headdresses, pipes, musical instruments, even fabrics and blankets, went up in smoke.

The people and Isobel looked on in horror, and Clopar continued to speak.

"Your sheikrah holds no power in this jungle." Clopar, although he was speaking to everyone, looked pointedly at Isobel. "I am Pharaoh, over the Talisman Jungle, of the Valley of the Splendid Suns, and of the Yo'Huac Mountains. And my empire will only grow."

Two servants came forward, and one placed a crown like that of Egyptian pharaohs on his head, and the other slid gold arm bands onto his wrists.

 _He is no king._ Isobel's mind was flooded.

She searched the crowd for her aunt, but she did not see her.

"Pharaoh!" Chimera came up behind Clopar. "I found one last item."

She held in her hands Ajihad's spear, a smile on her face.

"We should keep the weapon." Eztli said simply.

He gestured to the pile of bows and arrows that they had made from the Ta'li supply. They had their own weapons, but they were not willing to burn any extras.

Clopar shook his head. "Not this one."

Chimera sashayed her way over to the bonfire, and took one last look at the great spear.

She threw it in, and a spark of blue light shot out from the flames.

Chimera jumped back, and the crowd looked on in awe.

The orange flames around the spear changed to violet and then blue, and then nothing as the fire died down.

There was silence.

Chimera gave Clopar a confused look, and she turned back to pick up the spear.

"Ah!" She screamed, instantly pulling back her hand from the white hot surface.

A Yo'Huac warrior beside her scoffed, and he also tried to retrieve it. But he too was burned.

Clopar stared in bewilderment. He stepped down from the dais.

"Perhaps only a king can touch it."

He gripped the spear, and for a moment, Isobel thought that he would be able to.

But Clopar's face scrunched and contorted, and he yelled as he tried to shake the burning from his hand.

Isobel looked down at him, and he glared up at her.

"You." He growled. "Come down here."

Isobel obliged, but she was curious.

Slowly, she approached the pile of burnt relics. The spear sat on top, completely untouched. Its obsidian head, flanked by several raw crystals, gleamed.

She crouched down, and reached out with her fingers while her people waited with baited breath.

The moment Isobel made contact with the spear, her insides lit up.

She could not see those around her, and was not afraid. Her eyes had glazed over to grey, and her senses were dulled to this world.

Clopar saw what was happening, and knew this spear was not ordinary. His eyes widened, and he called for his guards.

"Move her!"

Two of them came forward and pulled her away from the spear, and she was ripped from its powers.

Her eyes changed back, and breathed deeply.

"What did you see?" Clopar demanded.

Isobel turned her head to him, and her expression turned his blood cold.

She smiled, and spoke to him in Atlantean. " _Tu thánatas stin archaea._ "

 _Your death_.

Clopar's ears folded back, and he took a sharp breath through his nose.

Isobel's heart was hammering. She was deeply afraid. But she was not going to let him win so easily. Her people would not be defeated until she was broken, and she was determined to stop that at all costs.

Clopar's hands shook with rage.

"Tie her up. And away from the Firebird."

The two guards hoisted Isobel up by her arms, and she looked over to her people.

" _Shajaea!_ " She shouted. She did not let fear of what would happen seep into her voice. "Have courage."

Her warriors responded back, but were silenced.

Clopar glared at her, and she returned it with a defiant gaze.

She would not give in.


	55. Salve

Chapter 55: Salve

The Yo'Huac bound Isobel to a tree not far from the village. She was forced to sit, and her arms were tied behind her back, which were then chained to the tree. It would not be possible to free herself without help or at least a tool of some sort.

They left without saying anything, and Isobel's heart pounded as her mind raced.

She understood how dire their situation was, and that it could turn south quickly.

She had told Clopar that she had seen his death, but there was no truth in that. In fact, she had seen nothing at all when she touched the spear. She had only felt a connection. She was all-powerful in that moment, and was certain of the powers that the spear held.

But she could not figure out why it happened then. She had touched the spear before, and she had seen Ajihad hold it many times, but that did not happen any of those times.

Had it been the fire?

Her piercings stung, and she realized that she would not be able to properly clean her wounds, or twist her spikes. Worry of infection was now on her mind.

She looked up at the canopy, and swiveled her ears. She could not hear any screams or smell a new fire, and so she took this as a good sign. She had faith that her people could be strong, but they had been through so much already: betrayal, the death of their sheikh, and now this?

This would be her first great test as a sheikrah.

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The penguins, Julien, and Katia were in the Charley. Katia had just explained everything that she knew of Clopar's plans to the penguins.

Jack and Tira, meanwhile, had gone back to the Conquistadora to discuss plans with Jack's crew.

Skipper exhaled through his nostrils. "And, after all this, how do we know you're not lying? That you're not some sort of triple-agent?"

"Look at thees." Katia turned her head, and showed them a thin scar that ran from her jaw down her neck. And then her front and back paws, which all had rings of scar tissue around them from being so cruelly bound. "They made me drink poison. I can never have a real Rider, that part of my brain is dead. I cannot connect with anyone that way. You think I would be loyal to a monster who does thees things with no thought? For fun, even?"

Skipper regarded Katia. He knew that Clopar was entirely capable of unimaginable cruelty.  
"I believe you." Private spoke up. "I know you wouldn't side with someone so evil."

"Thank you." Katia nodded.

Skipper folded his flippers. "I might have my doubts, but I'll let you slide on this one."

"Good, because we have no time to waste." Katia was ready to start planning. "Who do you know that can help us?"

A smile spread across Skipper's face. "We recently made some new acquaintances in Australia."

"They just hired us, though." Kowalski reminded him.

"They seemed enthused." Skipper shrugged. "Besides, if they give us this mission, they'll send what we need here. Or at least tell us where to get supplies and agents."

"Why can't we just go now?" Julien implored. "I can't even think about what they could be doing to Isobel or anyone else. We can take them!"

"We can't." Skipper shook his head. "As much as I'd like to, Ringtail, we can't just crash their little coup party just yet. We have to wait for reinforcements."

"But will it be enough to take on Clopar?" Katia asked.

Skipper rolled out the map of Talamaru that Isobel had helped them construct long ago. The one Alistair had forced them to let him see. "Probably not. But the point, Miss Katia, is rescuing Isobel and Mikhailov. From there, we build an army. All we need to do is get in, and stay alive."

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Chimera perused the Ta'li.

Clopar had already commanded that the warriors be separated from the others, and he had brought forth the leader, Tarik, to speak with him.

"Please." Sequoyah stepped out from the small crowd and walked towards Chimera. She held a jar of poultice and oil. "This needs to be applied to the sheikrah's ears. They will fester."

Chimera raised her lip disgustedly at the smell of the salve. "Fine. But you won't be the one applying it. We'll have someone else do it."

Sequoyah nodded. That was the nest answer she could hope for.

Chimera took the jar from her, and began to walk back to Clopar.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and turned her head. "Wasn't there a wedding last night?"

Sequoyah's blood ran cold. "There was."

Chimera faced her, and smiled. "How lovely. And…where is the bride? Tira, is her name? Pharaoh demands all Ta'li be here, together. As family should."

Maria was not far from the two, and she gripped Elena's hand, who was holding onto her baby with the other.

Chimera turned towards the mother and daughter, and her smile grew bigger. She walked up to them.

She reached out, and ran a finger across the baby's forehead.

Elena trembled and clutched him tighter. "So precious. Shouldn't he have his aunt?"

Chimera turned to a couple of Yo'Huac. "Take more men with you down to the beach in Madagascar. She'll be with the pirate."

Tears streamed down Maria's face, and Javier stepped out from behind her, as though to try and stop the warriors.

But Maria grabbed his shoulder tightly, and pulled him back.

" _No mas sangre_."

No more blood.

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Tira closed the cabin door behind her, and sighed.

She slipped off her bangles, and walked across the room to set them on a desk. She ran her hands over the silk blanket that Ajihad had gifted her. Its smooth texture was comforting, and she held hope in her heart that all would be well.

While she wished she was with her family, and even felt guilty for not being with them, she was grateful to be safe with Jack.

Suddenly, the glass window across the room shattered, and Tira gasped.

Four lemurs she had never seen in her life jumped in through the broken window. They held knives and leered at her menacingly.

She screamed, but one sprinted across the room and wrapped his hand over her mouth.

"No sound." He towered over her.

But Tira was a fighter, and she beat him with her fists and bit into his hand.

He struggled to keep a hold on her, and another warrior came to assist him.

Tira kicked him under the chin, and he reeled back.

" _Maca ey!_ " The warrior holding Tira gestured to another.

A vial was tossed to him, and he used his teeth to uncork it.

Tira's eyes went wide as the warrior pulled her head back, and forced her mouth open.

He poured the liquid down her throat, and she went limp within seconds.

Quickly, the kidnappers exited through the window, and scaled down the ship and onto the beach.

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Isobel forced herself to keep her eyes open. She was exhausted from lack of sleep and trauma.

The warm sun made her tired, and she felt as though she could sleep now, even though she was tied up.

But she needed to stay alert.

While she tried to decide, she began to close her eyes again.

She heard footsteps approaching, and her eyes flew open as she straightened up.

"Isobel."

Topaz approached her, a sad smile on his face.

Isobel narrowed her eyes, flexing her wrists against her restraints. "You."

Topaz held a small jar in his hands, which Isobel recognized as the one Sequoyah had been dipping her fingers into for the healing salve.

Her eyes flicked back up to his grey ones. "I knew you could not be trusted."

Topaz kneeled down beside her, and she eyed him warily.

"But you can trust me, Isobel."

Isobel scoffed. "You are working with the man who kidnapped me and murdered my uncle. Why should I?"

Topaz reached into the jar. "You'll see."

Isobel had no idea what that meant, and she stretched away when Topaz went to spread the salve on her ears.

"Unbind me, I can do it myself." She said coolly.

Topaz chuckled. "I can't do that."

Isobel sighed. Without the salve, her ears would become infected. She could not risk that now.

She relented, and Topaz applied the mixture around her piercings.

For a moment, she closed her eyes again. The jungle birds had come back, and a breeze rustled through the palms.

Her mind wandered to the sunset rides with Mikhailov, to calm mornings with her people, and to the beaches of Madagascar.

She stiffened when she remembered the harsh words Julien had spoken.

Topaz finished applying the ointment, and he stood up.

Isobel opened her eyes, and blinked as he walked away without a word.

She watched him go.

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The Yo'Huac returned to the village with their captive.

Tira was slung over the shoulder of the warrior who had poisoned her.

At first, when Maria saw her daughter, she thought that she was dead. She screamed, and the warrior sneered.

He set Tira down on the ground, and Chimera ran up.

"Is she alive?"

The warrior grunted. "She sleeps for now."

Maria clutched her chest gratefully, and the rest of her family let out a sigh of relief.

Chimera nodded. "Good. You." She pointed to Sequoyah. "Make sure she wakes up."

Sequoyah was instantly at Tira's side. She stroked her head and opened one of her eyelids.

Chimera walked back up to the dais. "Shall I give the orders now, your grace?"

Clopar surveyed the village, and watched as anxious eyes fell on him.

He smiled, and nodded his approval.

Chimera waved Eztli over, and they spoke momentarily.

Eztli shouted, and all of the Yo'Huac turned to him, and began to spread out.

The Ta'li did not know what he had said, and they bunched together, frightened.

Children, who had already been separated from their parents, were now grouped together with the older women and the old elders.

Male and female Ta'li who were healthy were grouped together with the warriors.

"Ta'li warriors," Clopar called out, "Choose one among you who speaks for all."

The warriors did not hesitate, and they instantly picked Tarik. He was pulled up by a Yo'Huac, who was his size.

Tarik snarled at him and pulled away.

He approached Clopar, and the usurper smiled down at him. His eyes gleamed unnaturally.

"Your king is dead." Clopar stepped down from the dais. He balanced his elaborate crown on his head. "Your new queen is captured. You are all outnumbered. Why not join my side? I will make you a commander, and your men and people will be taken care of. You will be safe in the war to come."

Tarik looked Clopar in the eyes, and was silent.

The village watched with bated breath.

Tarik spit on the ground. "We will not make deals with treasonous snakes."

Clopar only smiled wider. "And yet, your own queen shares my shapeshifting abilities."

Tarik was silent again, and Clopar swept over to the great warrior.

He came face to face with Tarik, even though he had to look up slightly. "If you will not pledge your loyalty, then you will know my wrath."

 **Thanks for reading! Sorry it took so long to update, I should be better about that now.**


	56. Teach Me To Fight

Chapter 56: Teach Me To Fight

Light rain began to fall in the jungle again, and large drops landed on Tira's face.

Slowly, she stirred from her deep sleep, and her eyes shot open. Her right hand flew to her belly, and she sat up.

Sequoyah was by her side, and she gave her a startled look. "Tira! What happened?"

Tears began to well in the girl's eyes, and Sequoyah wrapped an arm around her.

"I can't remember." Tira shook her head. "I was in Jack's cabin, and then I heard the window break. I tried to fight them, Sequoyah, I did."

"I know." Sequoyah nodded sympathetically. "You did nothing wrong."

Tira locked eyes with the widow. "The sheikh is truly dead?"

Sequoyah glanced down at the ground, and she nodded.

Tira's heart pained for her. "Where is Isobel? Where is anyone?"

She looked around the village for the first time, and it was empty, aside from a smoking, charred burn pile.

"Yo'Huac have come down from the mountains." Sequoyah began to explain. "They are being led by Clopar, who has declared himself king. His assistant is nearby, so speak quietly. The warriors took the villagers away from here, but they let me stay with you. I do not know where they have taken Isobel, or Mikhailov."

Tira nodded, but her eyes were full of fear. "What will happen to us?"

Sequoyah sighed. "I do not know, child. Is your baby all right?"

Tira glanced down at her belly. She felt no pain. "I…I think so. I don't know what sort of poison they gave me. And…Sequoyah."

She sidled closer to her to whisper in her ear. "Katia escaped. She told Jack, Julien, and even the penguins everything. They have not abandoned us. They can save us!"

For the first time in days, Sequoyah smiled.

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Jack was down below deck, rousing his crew to prepare for the fight against Clopar.

He was standing on a table, and everyone watched him as he danced around and shouted excitedly.

"Clopar thinks he can take my sister captive! Thinks he can kill her uncle, and steal her right to the throne! What say us?"

"Never!" His crew resounded.

There was a newfound sparkle in their captain's eyes, and his heart pounded with excitement. "Clopar has harmed my family before! My sister, my father, and now the family of my wife? What say you that I should do when we meet?"

"Run him through!"

"Keel haul him!"

"Throw him off a cliff!"

"Make him our new cabin boy!" Paolo piped up. He was tired of his own duties as cabin boy.

Jack chuckled at the suggestions. "Now lads, make ready our ship. Repair the sails, repair the deck, repair everything! We must be ready for battle at any moment. Raid the armory, I want every sailor aboard this ship armed to the teeth. Now, be off!"

The crew jumped up and scattered about the ship to prepare.

Jack hopped off the table, and hurried up the stairs.

His grin did not falter and he pressed his hat to head to prevent the wind from snatching it up.

He reached his cabin, and swung open the door.

"Tira!"

He wiped the rain from his eyes, and blinked as he assessed the cabin.

The wind blew the curtains around, and the shattered glass on the floor caught his eye.

Instantly, he unsheathed his sword, and frantically checked every cabinet and drawer in the room.

"Tira?"

His joy quickly dissolved into panic, and ran to the window, careful not to step on the glass.

"No, no, no!"

He leaned his head out of the window, and saw notch marks where there had once been knives or grappling hooks.

He gripped the siding, and leftover shards of glass cut into his hands.

Jack's breathing was sharp, and rage boiled inside of him. Without another sound, he swept out of the cabin, and climbed a mooring rope down onto the wet beach.

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"Is it done yet, 'Walski?"

"Almost, Skipper."

Kowalski continued to fix their old satellite phone. It would be their best option to communicate with their new company, Ingenex.

Katia stood in front of a window, and watched as raindrops snaked their way down it.

Julien was quiet as he sat in the co-pilot chair. He looked deep in thought.

"Say, what time is it in Australia anyway?" Private mused as he reorganized maps.

Kowalski and Skipper glanced at each other.

"Unimportant." Skipper decided. "This is a mission of the utmost importance. I'm sure they'll understand."

"And…done!" Kowalski proudly set their satellite in the middle of the table and removed his goggles.

Rico snatched up the heavy phone, and started randomly pressing buttons to be sure it worked.

He was greeted with static, and he nodded approvingly.

Skipper raised his brow. "Not very high tech, is it?"

Kowalski shook his head. "Not at all. Ingenex should send us new technology among the other things we need."

Just as Skipper was about to dial the number, the door slid open.

Everyone looked as Jack stepped inside. He was soaked.

"What's wrong?" Private asked.

The look in Jack's eyes set them all on edge. "They've taken Tira."

Julien sat up. "What? How?"

Jack shook his head. "I was below deck with my crew…It happened then."

Before anyone could get a word out, Jack removed the dagger Ajihad had given him from his belt, and stabbed the table with it.

Skipper frowned. "Hey!"

"I don't know how long you all intend on waiting for this company or whatever." Jack's voice wavered with anger. "But in that…" He pointed towards Talamaru. "In that jungle, my sister is held hostage, and my wife…I don't understand why they had to take her too. But this ends now. I don't care if I die. My wife and my child are all that matter."

No one could disagree with his anger and frustration, but it was far too dangerous for him to go.

"Look, you're not thinking straight." Skipper tried to be the voice of reason.

Julien jumped down from the chair. "I'll go with you."

Jack turned to him, and nodded. "The crew can be ready as soon as I tell them."

" _Non._ " Katia put down a firm paw. "You cannot go. You _will_ die. And for what? Your wife will die too, as well as Isobel. Thees is not how it can go."

"Thank you, miss." Skipper placed his flippers on his hips. "Just slow it down, Jack. We're planning on getting everyone out alive."

Jack stared at him coldly. He grabbed the hilt of his dagger, and ripped it from the table.

He inhaled sharply, and pointed a shaky finger at Skipper. "Hurry up. Every minute counts."

He left without another word, and hot tears ran down his cheeks.

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Clopar paced down the long line of Ta'li warriors and villagers. The warriors were all still bound, and their hearts pounded with adrenaline.

The females and children had already been sent away, with guards, to perform new daily tasks. They were charged with the duties of harvesting more fruit and fish, as well as fetching far more water than anyone in the village could drink or use in one day. They did not know why Clopar ordered so much.

Topaz stood back. He kept his back as straight as possible, and tried not to look anxious.

Several Yo'Huac dragged heavy bags and set them before the warriors, who glanced at the bags quizzically.

Clopar passed by Tarik, and glared at him once more before he paused and addressed the group.

"Today, you are no longer great warriors of the Ta'li. Today, you will become builders."

The bags were opened, and powder plumed up from them. It was a clay material that could be mixed with water to create bricks or statues. The Ta'li had neither walls nor great statues. They had never touched these materials.

"After all, what is a king without a palace or a border?" Clopar smiled. "My builders will show you how it's done. You will construct a wall surrounding this entire village. After that, I have even bigger plans."

"We will not." A warrior spoke up.

Tarik whipped his head to see who it was, and he snarled at him in Ta'li. "Do not speak!"

Clopar approached the young warrior who had spoken. "I cannot force you, no."

Everyone was silent, as they did not understand.

"But, your women, your children, your queen?" Clopar continued sinisterly. "You may wish to think of them before you refuse."

That was plenty enough threat to bring the Ta'li to a quick decision; they needed to listen to Clopar. At least for now.

Clopar stepped back. "Some of these trees will need to be felled to make room for the wall."

The warriors began to fidget, and Topaz's eyes widened.

"Pharaoh." Topaz cleared his throat, and approached Clopar. "Some of these trees…They're sacred."

Clopar stared at Topaz. "These are not sacred to me."

"I understand, your grace." Topaz lowered his head. "But the Ta'li – "

"What about them?" Clopar's voice held a dangerous edge. "I do not care for the culture, their beliefs. Talamaru is mine."

"The queen, Pharaoh." Topaz said. "Do not forget the other part of your plan."

Clopar regarded him for a moment, and then began to laugh. "Oh, I haven't."

Tarik's ears pricked up, and he honed in on Clopar's and Topaz's conversation.

Clopar continued. "She will submit to all of the changes. Only then can she be queen, by my side. She does not make the conditions; I do."

Tarik made no physical sign of surprise, but he felt dread rise in his chest.

He knew Isobel would never agree to be with Clopar, and he feared for her life.

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Julien quietly walked along the beach. The rain was gone, and the fading sunlight cast a beautiful hue against the remaining clouds.

But his heart only ached when he peered at the sky. Isobel loved sunsets like these.

A sour taste he was not familiar with filled his mouth when he remembered the harsh words he had said to her that morning.

He rubbed his arms, trying to rid himself of this…guilt.

Julien sighed.

"Sky Spirits, why have you made me like this?" Julien spoke aloud. "Handsome, sure. A fantastic dancer, yes! Smart? Ehh, _I_ know what I'm talking about! But…I am not thinking before I speak. I wish I could tell Isobel I am sorry for being, well, me. I wish I could help Jack defeat the bad guys."

He looked over at Jack's ship. He recalled the sword fights he had seen Jack win, counted the times he had watched Jack outmaneuver an opponent, and even that afternoon when he had marched into the penguins' helicopter and stabbed their table.

 _He's like an action hero!_ Julien thought.

He looked back at the Charley, and he could not even begin to count the number of times he had seen the penguins save someone or themselves. Or even him.

He was no warrior.

But he had an idea, and he spotted Skipper stepping out of the helicopter.

He trotted over to the penguin, and Skipper looked up at him.

"Teach me how to fight and beat the bad guys." Julien asked hopefully.

Skipper chuckled. "Why?"

Julien folded his arms. "For Isobel. She is my woman, I should be saving her, like Jack is going to be saving Tira."

"Oh." Skipper's expression changed, and he nodded. "Well, while that is true, Isobel doesn't expect you to be her knight in shining armor. She knows you aren't like that, and maybe that's something she likes about you. She doesn't mind fighting her own battles."

Julien was persistent. "I know I am not a tough guy, okay? I don't know about swords or bows or ninja stars, and I can't protect Isobel at all. She is always the one protecting me, and I want to do the same."

Skipper considered it. It would not hurt to teach Julien how to fight. It could come in handy. And it seemed like he was serious about it. "All right."

"Yay!" Julien wrapped Skipper in a hug, who pushed him away.

"But there are rules!" Skipper told him sternly. "Learning to fight is more than beating up villains."

Julien cocked his head.

"You have to get up with the sun." Skipper began listing rules, and Julien cringed. "You have to exercise with us."

"What about jazzercise?" Julien suggested.

"What, no." Skipper shook his head. "Nothing frilly, Ringtail! I'm talking push-ups, pull-ups, all of the ups."

"Ugh." Julien frowned.

"There is also running up and down the beach, and swimming in the ocean."

"But there are sharks!" Julien protested.

"The current will make you strong." Skipper placed his flippers on his hips. "Do you want to learn or not?"

Julien straightened up and nodded.

"Good." Skipper smiled. "We start tomorrow morning."


	57. Never

Chapter 57: Never

Night creatures of the jungle began to roam.

Isobel heard them come close, and she tried to free herself, but to no avail.

Fire would keep the jackals away, but she had no way to make one. She could not climb the tree to stay out of harm's way. She began to wonder if she would make it through the night.

A flicker of light caught her eye, and she turned her head towards it.

Topaz sauntered towards her, torch in hand.

"I'm to watch over you tonight."

"I don't need you." Isobel said quietly. Her throat was parched.

Topaz kneeled down, and held out a cup of water.

"Clopar won't let you have any food, but I snuck this away."

Isobel glared at him. "I should be ever grateful to you then, shouldn't I?"

Topaz did not get upset with her sarcasm. He understood. "No, but, I thought you might be thirsty."

Isobel's glare softened. She was, but she said nothing. She did not trust Topaz.

Topaz set down the cup. "You can have it later, if you want. I'll be on the other side of this tree."

He went around the tree trunk, and settled down onto the ground. He stuck the torch in the ground, and pulled out some thread from the sack he carried.

He hummed as he began to braid the colorful strings together.

Isobel's ears twitched with irritation. "Do you have to do that?"

The edges of Topaz's mouth quirked up in a smile. "Sorry."

Isobel settled back against the tree. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, and her body was weak.

She closed her eyes, but it was impossible to ignore the dryness in her throat and the pangs in her mouth.

She sighed, and opened her eyes again.

"Topaz?"

"Yes?"

Before she could ask, he was already up, and he brought the water to her.

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Sequoyah sat vigilantly beside Tira, who was asleep.

Clopar had put Chimera in charge of the two, and she was allowing Sequoyah to stay with Tira because of her condition.

But Sequoyah did not trust Chimera one bit. Chimera had been the one to order Tira's kidnapping, after all.

She stared into the darkness of the jungle, and one scene played over and over again in her mind: Ajihad walking into the forest for the last time.

She felt tears beginning to well in her eyes, but she did not move.

All she could see were his deep green eyes, sparkling and full of life.

 _Everything is all right._

The pangs in her heart and stomach were more than enough to keep her restless. She was grateful that they had had time to give him a proper funeral, but she was still reeling. She could not fully comprehend that her partner was gone. That if she just walked up behind the dais near the great tree, he would be there, asleep, waiting for her to join him.

She rubbed the center of her chest with her palm, as though she could wipe away her sorrow.

She looked down at Tira, who slept again, this time of her own accord.

Tira was exhausted and had spent the evening terrified over what could happen to her family.

Sequoyah had assured her that if her family complied, they would be just fine.

A shudder went down Sequoyah's back, and she laid a hand on Tira's shoulder.

If she could not be with her niece or her husband, this girl would be her new responsibility.

No one would harm her.

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Jack laid in his bed and listened to the waves crash against the sides of the hull.

The ship creaked, and Jack was wide awake.

He had told his crew everything once he returned to the ship, and they wanted blood. But he told them that they could not leave yet.

His heart hammered away, and he got up with a sigh.

He rubbed his burning eyes, and walked over to the desk where Tira kept her things.

Moonlight glinted on the golden bangles she had left behind, and Jack picked a few up.

He slid them over his left hand. They felt light on his wrist, and a heaviness settled in his heart.

He jangled them a little, and their tinkling noise brought Tira's glowing smile to mind.

That pained him too much, and he slid them back off.

The golden fabric of the blanket Ajihad had given Tira caught Jack's eye. He picked up the smooth material.

He pictured their child in his mind. Perhaps he would have his hazel eyes, and Tira's loud laugh.

Jack smiled a little, but he began to bunch the material in his fists.

Tears dripped onto it, and Jack buried his face into the blanket. Sobs racked his shoulders, and he hunched over as a bolt of nausea and pain simultaneously hit his gut.

He had never felt sorrow like this in his life.

He had never loved like this in his life either.

He missed Tira so much he felt blinded by it. He did not know how he could already love and ache for a child he had not yet met, and yet he did.

And his sister…

His sister whom he loved dearly, who was the reason he had met Tira in the first, who had run from the royal guard with him through the streets of Atlantis…

 _Atlantis._

Jack quieted, and his mind was suddenly ablaze with an idea.

An army they needed, an army they should build.

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Isobel's eyes flickered beneath her lids as she dreamed vividly and frighteningly.

She ran through the forest, her heart beating rapidly, every step pumping more adrenaline through her veins.

She was being chased, and she looked behind herself to see that no one was there.

But she could not stop running as fear gripped her tighter.

She could not see, and she fell from a drop off.

Even in the dream, she felt pain as she stumbled to get up.

The darkness pressed down on her, and she struggled to stand up.

She felt a hand reach for her own, and she looked up.

Ajihad stared down at her, his eyes piercing through her own.

Isobel gasped, but he did not dissolve in her dream. He remained, and his hand was still extended towards hers.

She grabbed it, and he pulled her up.

" _Khal,_ " she said, still out of breath, " _Khal,_ I am so happy to see you."

Ajihad gave her a small smile, and he turned away without saying a word.

He began to walk away, and Isobel followed.

The feathers on his headdress seemed dulled. Not as bright as they were in life, but this was a dream, wasn't it?

Isobel realized they were in the grove of the Sacred Tree.

The tree glowed bright, even more so than she was used to.

But she did not squint or look away. She was drawn to it.

As she approached it, she noticed that Ajihad was no longer with her.

" _Khal_?" She became anxious.

"Isobel."

She turned to the voice, and saw that it was Ellesmera.

The guardian approached Isobel, and her presence warmed her.

"Is this a dream?" Isobel asked.

The Firebird smiled at her, but did not answer. "Come with me."

The pair skirted around the tree, and walked behind it.

Every plant that Ellesmera walked by lit up, guiding their path.

Isobel kept looking behind herself to see if Ajihad would come as well, but he was gone.

Her heart squeezed, but she knew she needed to stay with Ellesmera.

The Firebird brought her to a clearing. It was lit up like daytime, even though they had just been in the darkness of the jungle.

 _I am dreaming._ Isobel decided.

"You are sheikrah now, Isobel." Ellesmera spoke up. "You must think only of your people. You must protect them."

"How can I?" Isobel's voice was soft. "Clopar has taken my people. I am chained. My Firebird-"

"You still have ways." Ellesmera faced her.

Isobel was confused.

"Do as pharaoh says." Ellesmera stated simply.

"What?" Isobel furrowed her brow. "My people would never bend to him so easily. Why should I?"

Ellesmera looked surprised at her. "To protect them, of course. Comply with Clopar. This is what you must do if you wish to keep them safe and alive. Help from the outside will not come soon enough unless you do this."

Isobel shook her head. "I will never obey him."

Ellesmera did not move. "I will see you in time, Isobel."

The forest around them began crashing down, and Ellesmera swirled into colors before Isobel's eyes.

The tremendous noise and rumbling in the dream roused Isobel from her sleep, and she opened her eyes to the rising sun.

But the noises did not stop in her dream, and she quickly became aware that something was going on past the village.

Loud crashing and cracking noises echoed throughout the jungle. Smoke filled the air, and birds screamed as they flew from the canopy.

Isobel pulled against her restraints, but her efforts were futile as ever.

"Isobel!" Topaz came running up to her.

"What's happening?" Isobel's eyes and voice were full of fear.

An explosion rocked the forest, and Isobel's heart pounded as Topaz crouched down close to her.

She moved away, and he reached for her chains.

He began unlocking them.

"They are clearing trees." Topaz began to explain. "Pharaoh demands a wall be built, and the trees are in the way."

Isobel whipped her head to him. She hated herself for it, but her eyes were filling with tears.

Topaz turned and found himself face to face with her.

Isobel noticed his expression change when he saw her tears, but she ignored it.

"I have to move you." Topaz finally said. "Pharaoh wants you brought to the village."

Isobel stood on shaky, stiff legs. Her hands were still bound, but only with rope.

Topaz was not watching her as he leaned down to pick up everything, and Isobel bolted in the general direction she knew Mikhailov was.

But she was exhausted and her legs were half asleep, and Topaz instantly caught up to her.

She screamed at him and tried to rip her arms from the ropes. When that did not work, she kicked wherever she could.

"Isobel, stop!" Topaz shouted.

But she did not, and Topaz wrapped his arms around her and hoisted her over his shoulder.

That made her furious, but there was not much she could do now.

Topaz picked up their things with his free hand, and began to walk towards the village.

Smoke stung Isobel's eyes as they came closer, but she could not see ahead of them as she was facing the other way.

As the foliage changed, she knew they had reached the village.

They walked up to the dais, and Isobel spotted Sequoyah and Tira.

"Tira!" Isobel yelled as she squirmed to get out of Topaz's hold.

Sequoyah and Tira instantly jumped up and called to her, but they could not run to her, as a guard had been assigned to watch them.

The women yelled for each other until Isobel was out of sight as Topaz brought her into _nyumbani_.

He set her down more gently than he had too, and wasted no time in chaining her to a metal stake inside of the huge tree.

"Where is he?" Isobel demanded through her tears and gritted teeth.

"Pharaoh will be here soon." Topaz could not look at her. He stood just outside the entrance of the tree.

Isobel had a little more room now that she was not tied to a tree, and she yanked against the stake she was chained to.

But it had been hammered into the ground by a Yo'Huac, and there was no moving it.

Within a few minutes, Clopar and several guards, including Eztli, entered the tree.

"Isobel." A smile that made Isobel absolutely sick spread across Clopar's face.

Another explosion went off, and Isobel visibly flinched.

"Don't be frightened, princess." Clopar swooped over to her and glared down at her. "Your people are alive! I have found great use for them. They are safe, for now."

Isobel said nothing, and her chains rattled as she moved.

Clopar eyed them. "Those must be uncomfortable. Would you like them off?"

Isobel still was silent as she assessed the mad man.

"You have to follow my rules first." Clopar crouched down. He was so close Isobel could feel the heat from his breath. "Relinquish your throne and title. Say I am pharaoh, that Talamaru is mine. That is all I ask, and you can be freed of your chains."

It was difficult, but Isobel looked him straight in the eye.

Ellesmera's words rang through her head.

 _Do as pharaoh says._

Isobel took a breath.

"Never."


	58. As Pharaoh Says

Chapter 58: As Pharaoh Says

"Seventy-one…seventy…two!...seventy-three! Aha!" Julien jumped up from the sandy beach excitedly. He folded his arms and smiled smugly at Skipper. "You see, I did all of the push-ups and more that you asked me to do!"

Skipper rolled his eyes. "You did three."

"No, I did _seventy-_ three!" Julien protested. "Didn't you hear me counting?"

"You can't just _say_ the number seventy in front of other numbers, Ringtail." Skipper raised an eyebrow. "You actually have to do them. Now drop and give me twenty. You too, Private!"

"Wha?" Private looked up from his spot where he had been building sand castles.

"Now, soldier." Skipper put his flippers on his hips.

Julien and Private both groaned as they dropped down to the sand.

Julien's crown kept sliding off, and he paused to put it back on each time.

Skipper leaned down and took it off of his head.

"Hey!" Julien glared at him.

"We're all equal here." Skipper tucked the crown under his arm. "It's distracting you, anyways."

Skipper turned away to walk into the Charley, and neither Private nor Julien dared to stop.

Kowalski was redrawing a few of their maps that Alistair and his thugs had badly damaged.

He traced careful lines across the paper, and used the intact scraps of the old maps to guide him.

Skipper set Julien's crown down in the co-pilot's chair.

"Ingenex said our shipment should be arriving within a couple of days." Kowalski did not look up from his work.

Skipper nodded. "Watson sounded, er, chipper on the phone."

Kowalski furrowed his brow and nodded. "Kangaroo rats are highly energetic, so not unusual."

Nico Watson was their new direct supervisor. He could not stop gushing to them about how excited the company was to take them on. Skipper had had to ask him several times to slow down, as he could not make out his heavy Australian accent. But the team was glad none-the-less that they had some new connections, especially in a time like this.

Kowalski had listed several things to Nico that they needed, but Nico hinted heavily that the company would be sending them all sorts of things. Possibly things they did not even need.

"Skipper." Jack jumped up into the helicopter.

The two penguins turned to the lemur.

Jack nodded at Kowalski in greeting. He had a new feather in his hat. It was long and red and black. It was not flouncy like most of his feathers.

"I have a proposition." Jack stood straight, and Skipper knew he meant business.

Skipper folded his flippers and leaned against the table. "What is it?"

"I have a perfectly good ship bobbing along the shore." Jack waved out towards the direction of his ship. "I refuse to be completely useless until we can take back Talamaru."

Skipper sighed. "Jack, there's really not much – "

"Have you forgotten our allies across the ocean?" A smile twinkled in Jack's eyes.

Instantly, Skipper knew what Jack meant. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Kowalski caught on to what the two were discussing. "Would the king be able to have an army ready?"

Jack swept over to the table. He was in higher spirits now. "Atlantis is always ready. The moment the king hears of this, he'll send out his armada, every soldier he can spare."

"How soon can you leave?" Skipper asked.

"I need to write to the king first so he can prepare." Jack pondered. "But that could take weeks. I have no idea how I could get it there any faster."

"I can help." Katia was standing outside the door.

The trio turned to her.

"I can get the letter there quickly." She spoke up more loudly this time.

"Do you know how to get there?" Kowalski asked.

Katia shook her head sheepishly. " _Non,_ but, I can try. It ees…worth a shot, right?"

Jack smiled at the Firebird. "Indeed it is, love."

"Hold on." Skipper interjected. "This is dangerous, Katia."

"I know." Katia stared at him unblinkingly. "War ees dangerous. I have seen it for myself."

That sent a small shiver down Skipper's spine. He had not considered the scale of their problem. Katia was right.

Skipper straightened up. "I trust you. Make us proud, miss."

Jack and Katia smiled at each other.

" _Allons y_!" Jack shouted gleefully as he jumped down from the Charley.

Julien and Private stumbled into the Charley.

Julien was completely out of breath, and Private said shakily, "We're done, Skippah."

Skipper had forgotten about them, and he raised his eyebrows. "It took you that long to do twenty push-ups?"

"Twenty- _three_ , actually." Julien corrected him. "Do not be forgetting the three I already did."

Skipper shook his head and smiled a little. "Alright, next exercise then. Sprints from here to the waterline, and go!"

Julien and Private sighed exaggeratedly, and began their sluggish run down to the water.

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The explosions in Talamaru continued through the morning, and each ancient tree landed with a resounding thud.

Mikhailov's sharp ears picked them up, and he felt the vibrations through his paws. His heart ached in more ways than one.

He had tried tugging himself free multiple times, but the pain was too great. The cuffs around each of his legs were barbed on the inside to prevent him from moving more than a few inches. Blood trickled down to his talons. The chains that held him in place were staked deep into the ground. He lay uncomfortably on the ground, as did not have the chain length to stand.

His thoughts flitted between figuring out a way to escape, and Isobel. In his mind, he supposed that he should be prepared to be the only one able to save her.

He tried to keep calm, but with every worry of what Clopar could be doing to her, a wave of anger crashed over him.

Mikhailov heard footsteps, and he turned his head.

He snarled when he saw Eztli and other Yo'Huac, but his beak was useless and bound to him.

"You come with us, Firebird." Eztli smiled. He pointed back towards the village. "You hear all that? We need help. Ta'li are weak, cannot pull logs out of way. You do this."

Mikhailov growled, and his tail twitched back and forth. The last thing he wanted to do was help them, and Eztli knew that.

"No choice." Eztli shrugged. "We have sheikrah, you do not."

He nodded his head at the other warriors, and they began to unchain him.

 _Idiots._ Mikhailov thought.

But surely Clopar had warned them of exactly what to do, and two warriors climbed onto his back. They began to wrap chains around his wings and then his torso, so his wings laid flat against his back.

It would be impossible to fly.

The warriors who unchained him tugged harshly, and he immediately stood. He winced as he did, and carefully shifted his feet so the barbs were not digging into his fur and skin.

They began the walk to the village, which was half a mile away.

As the smoke began to thicken the closer they came, Mikhailov realized he was afraid.

For a long time, he had worried about Isobel, feared for her life. And now he was afraid for his own.

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Clopar had not taken Isobel's answer lightly, and the side of her face still stung from his response.

"You're not very smart, are you?" Clopar sneered down at her.

Isobel glared up at him. Surely, all of their years in Atlantis together, he did not think that? But it did not matter to her what he thought.

"I said your people are safe _for now_." Clopar reminded her. "But what of when they are finished building my wall? If I grow tired of them and have no reason to keep then? What then, little queen?"

"All of this takes time." Isobel said. "Time is all I need. All my rescuers need."

Clopar's face was serious for a moment, but he began to life. " _Rescuers_? And who might that be?"

Isobel was quiet, and Clopar continued.

"The friends who betrayed you, who you pushed away? Your impulsive, pirate brother? Or perhaps the weak king? If he cared for you still, why was he not here? Did Ajihad's death scare him off, thinking he would be the next king off my list?"

Clopar chuckled, and looked Isobel right in the eye. "Well, he was smarter than you in that regard."

Isobel was staring down at the ground, and Clopar crouched down in front of her again.

"Would you like to see your Firebird?" He was quiet. "Perhaps that will change your mind."

His voice took on an edge that had Isobel's heart hammering with anxiety.

With a quickness, Clopar reached out and unlocked her chains.

He gripped her right upper arm, and yanked her to her feet. She stumbled into him and pushed her up.

He pulled her outside of the tree, and Isobel met Topaz's startled eyes. He had been waiting outside of the tree, but now he followed the two as Clopar dragged her along towards the building site.

Isobel shivered with fear and she steadied her lip. She did not see Tira or her aunt in the clearing like before.

They walked into the jungle, and were soon upon the place of destruction.

Yo'Huac were sawing off the limbs of felled trees, and throwing them into burn piles. Smoke curled up fiercely into the canopy.

Explosives were being placed in holes beneath the trees to destroy the roots so they would come up easier.

Isobel watched in horror as she saw her warriors and men doing this work. They worked quickly, but Isobel knew it was not because they were enjoying it.

She scanned the area for Mikhailov, and at first did not see him.

She gasped when she finally spotted him.

A harness had been fastened around his body, and he strained with all of his might to tow an enormous, limbless log behind him. The Yo'Huac were cutting the trees in half after they were de-limbed, and Mikhailov was to cart them away for further use.

Isobel did not even notice that Clopar had let her arm go as she stared helplessly at her Firebird.

The freshly forming scars alongside his body were a knife through her heart, and she could not bear to look at his cruel shackles.

"Do you see now?" Clopar whispered in her ear. "Relinquish your power. They will be treated better. You will not be chained. Say that I am Pharaoh."

Isobel's hands bunched into fists, and she whipped around towards Clopar. "You are a snake. Nothing more than a viper. Why would I trust you?"

She expected, now more than ever, for him to strike her again. But he only gave her the same uneasy smile.

"I do not think this is a matter of trust. But a matter of necessity, for you." He looked back towards his warriors and new slaves. He took a breath. "My patience is thin. Bring him."

Clopar shouted at one of the guards as he pointed at a warrior.

The guard hauled the warrior to his feet, and Clopar assessed Isobel as the guard and warrior got closer.

"Wait." Clopar held up his hand. He had seen no change in her face. "She does not care for that one."

Isobel looked him in the eyes again. Her ears folded back slightly. This was not good.

"Bring him instead." Clopar pointed to a young man putting together explosives this time.

He was not a warrior, and Isobel recognized him immediately.

It was one of Tira's brothers; Francisco.

Isobel's expression betrayed her, and Clopar smiled.

Francisco was thrown at Clopar's feet, and Clopar drew a knife from his belt.

He held it at Francisco's throat.

"We can start with this one," Clopar smiled demonically at Isobel, "If you'd like."

Isobel trembled, and said nothing.

Francisco was wide-eyed, and he gave the smallest shake of his head at her. He was ready.

But he was too young to die.

Clopar began to press the metal to his throat, and Francisco gulped.

Isobel closed her eyes.

 _Do as Pharaoh says._

"Enough." Isobel managed to speak.

"Hmm?" Clopar's ears perked up.

Isobel opened her eyes, but did not look at him. Her voice was shaky. "I will do as you say."

Clopar let Francisco go, and he stood up to face Isobel.

"Smart choice, princess."

Isobel still did not look at him, and tears leaked from her eyes.

Clopar grabbed her arm again, and they walked back to the village.

Isobel did not feel like she was awake. This was a terrible, floating nightmare.

As she expected, Clopar took her back inside the tree and chained her again.

"You were right about one thing." Clopar said, almost cheerfully. "You can't trust me. And besides, I am Pharaoh. As I say goes."

Isobel only stared silently at the ground, her tail curled up around herself.

Clopar stood up. "We'll have to tell the people the good news soon, won't we?"


	59. Not All Our Friends are on The Outside

Chapter 59: Not All Our Friends are on The Outside

Katia flew away into the night, Jack's letter carefully secured in a pouch around her neck.

She could use the stars to help her navigate.

Jack watched her get smaller and smaller in the sky, until the starlight swallowed her up.

The tide lapped up against the Conquistadora, and Jack sighed.

He stayed out on the deck to look between the constellations.

Jack didn't believe in much, and was hardly superstitious, aside from a couple sea superstitions.

What Jack liked were things that he could see, and could prove. He liked to understand.

But what he could not wrap his head around was what could drive Clopar to do these things. And, frankly, he did not care to know anymore. All he knew was he wanted him dead, one way or another.

"We'll get here back, Jack."

Jack nodded softly at his friend's words.

O'Harty walked up behind him and stood beside him.

"She's tough, your wife. I know she put up a fight."

Jack did not want to think about Tira being kidnapped. But he knew too that she was a fighter. He had high hopes that she would make it. And he knew Isobel would never let anything happen to her if she could prevent it.

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Julien walked back into his little village from the beach.

He had worked with the penguins all day long, and he was exhausted.

Skipper had told him he was absolutely hopeless, but he knew he did not really mean that. However, Skipper had reminded him again that he'd have to stop wearing his crown while training. Julien could agree that it did get in the way. He decided to part with it for the time being, as he had bigger fish to fry than worry about being king to a small amount of people. At least in his mind he did.

He placed his crown inside of Maurice's smoothie bar, beside Isobel's.

He paused and examined the blue, red, and black feathers.

She had looked striking in it, and he had been harsh with her. And now this feathered crown was all that he had of her. And her memory box.

Curiosity got the best of him, and he pulled the box from the shelf.

He climbed up his favorite tree, and opened the lid.

He carefully ran his fingers over the dried petals of her flower crown. That had been such a good day, and her smile reigned brightest in his memory.

He picked up the ring from the Atlantean king, and slipped it onto his pinky. The silver gleamed from the string lights that were set up in all of the trees around the little village.

He examined the photographs at the bottom of the box, and he felt his heart lurch into his throat when he saw her face.

Julien could not stop himself, and he clamped a hand over his mouth as a sob came out.

He set the photo down, and tears cascaded down his face.

He pressed a hand to his chest, and laid his forehead in the other.

 _How could I have been so cruel?_

"King Julien?" Maurice had climbed up into the tree.

Julien did not even try to calm himself. "What have I done, Maurice?"

Maurice sighed, and came to sit next to his king and friend.

"It'll be just fine, man."

"But what if it's not?" Julien sniffed. "What if that was the last thing I ever say to her? What if I never see her again?"

"Hey, listen." Maurice scooted closer to him. "There's no point in thinking that way. You've got to stay positive."

"It is impossible, Maurice." Julien shook his head, defeated. "I love her more than anything in this whole crazy world. And she is trapped now by some maniac. I would give anything to see her right now. Anything at all. Even being king."

Maurice knew how strongly Julien felt. "You're making an effort right now, Julien. I mean, look at you, out training with the penguins all day today. You're going to be ready before you know it."

"I suppose so."

Maurice smiled. "Now you're talking."

Julien straightened up a bit, and put everything back into the box. "I can't wait to get her back, Maurice. I'll never get angry with her again."

That made his friend chuckle. "That's a big promise to make."

Julien smiled as well. "Yeah. I am so bad at the promises. But listen! I really, really am going to be better."

Maurice nodded reassuringly. "I have no doubt in you, man. None at all."

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Clopar had demanded that before they were allowed to rest for the night, all of the Ta'li were to be brought to the center of the village.

They all stood before the dais, exhausted and broken.

But the sight of Isobel gave them strength. Their queen was their beacon.

Isobel's eyes searched the crowd, and she locked onto Tira and Sequoyah.

She could not help her small smile, and tears instantly welled in her eyes. She was not happy in any way. She smiled at the madness of it all, and it was the best she could do to mask her fear.

"Ta'li people," Clopar began his speech. He looked slightly behind his shoulder to sneer at Isobel.

She lifted her head and stared back at him. Defiance, even in its smallest forms, was still her power.

Clopar continued. "Your sheikrah has stepped down from her throne. She has relinquished it to me."

The people murmured amongst themselves. That did not seem right to them.

"She is no longer your queen." Clopar enjoyed this. "Look to her no longer as a symbol of hope that you may be free from this. I am Pharaoh. I am all there is. She has no power. She is nothing."

Tira gripped Sequoyah's hand, and she felt her shake.

"She rules us all."

Everyone turned to the source of the voice.

It was a young warrior Isobel recognized. He had been with her and Tarik the day she was captured.

"Do you not remember?" The dark brown lemur raised his voice, and turned to face the people. "She came home to us for a reason. She is our sheikrah. _She_ is our true leader."

Excitement rippled through the people.

Clopar was becoming angry, and Isobel could clearly see this.

Quickly, she stepped up to address her people.

"Clopar is Pharaoh."

Her voice rang clear through the now silent people.

They looked at her, confused. Was she truly handing over her right so easily?

Clopar assessed her, and he decided to let her go on.

Isobel looked around the crowd again. "I am not worthy to be a sheikrah. I have failed you. Do as Pharaoh commands, and forget me."

Her people stared back at her. Confusion and distress crossed their faces.

Isobel took another breath. " _Shajaea._ "

 _Have courage._

Sequoyah nearly fell over with relief.

Tarik hid his smile, and his warriors around him shifted knowingly.

They knew she had not given up yet. She had told them to have courage when Clopar first invaded, and she was asking them for it again.

Isobel stepped back, and let Clopar have the dais again.

Clopar said nothing more, and only gestured for his warriors and guards to take the people to their new places of rest.

He looked carefully at Isobel as he passed by her. She did not look at him.

As two guards came to lead her back to _nyumbani_ , she smiled quietly to herself.

The tear in Isobel's heart was something she thought she would not be able to mend. But now she filled it with vengeance.

Clopar had awoken a fiery beast. A fiery beast that began to roar inside of Isobel's spirit.

She would not be broken.

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Two weeks passed by. The first shipment from Ingenex had arrived more than a week ago on the island with the help of a parachute.

It was not much, but there was an enclosed note that detailed there would be much more to come.

While the penguins enjoyed playing with their new GPS and the freshly installed PA system in the Charley, they still had other work to do.

Skipper did not allow any slacking on training. It was critical that they hone in on their skills and be ready at any time.

Katia had returned with good news from Atlantis, as Jack had expected.

He had set sail that morning. Adventure had gleamed in his eyes, and he could not stop talking about what a perfect day for sailing it was.

The penguins, Julien, and Maurice had wished him a safe journey, and knew he would come back safely.

Skipper was pleased that Julien had made a lot of progress. Sure, it was not exactly up to par yet, but it was certainly better than Skipper had ever hoped to see from him.

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Ellesmera had come to Isobel's dreams a couple of times since she relinquished the throne to Clopar.

The dreams, which Isobel had chalked them up to be, were shorter than the first. Ajihad had not been in them again, and it was mainly Ellesmera leading Isobel around the jungle. But they always ended short, usually with Isobel being awoken by something in the real world.

Clopar had recently stopped having Isobel chained up. But she sometimes did not even leave the tree, as she was not allowed to go far anyway.

The Ta'li had built several sections of the wall already. The sweltering heat of June had crept in, and being trapped in the forest did not help.

Usually during the summer the Ta'li would spend time down on the beach, where it was bearable. They would come back to the jungle in the evening and play their musical instruments beside the fire that kept predators and insects away.

But now the evenings and nights were depressingly quiet, and no bonfires were lit.

Isobel had only seen Sequoyah and Tira from a distance. Tira was bigger now, and she looked about due. Isobel's heart ached to be with her friend. Perhaps Clopar would let her help when it was Tira's time.

She and Mikhailov had been apart for nearly twenty days. Now that was a hole in her being that could not be repaired with vengeance. She needed her Firebird, and he needed her.

But Clopar knew how powerful they were together, and so it was forbidden.

Topaz had been absent more than usual, as Clopar had been sending him on missions to the mountains, where the Yo'Huac were from.

The mountains of their home were different than the great snowy mountains of Isobel's father's people. They were thick with twisted jungle and mist hung over the entire range nearly all day. It was far denser than the Talisman Jungle, and Isobel had heard stories of creatures far more terrible.

Perhaps the creatures were the Yo'Huac themselves.

"Isobel."

She lifted her head.

Topaz was standing just outside of the tree.

"Yes?"

"Pharaoh would like to see you."

Isobel began to stand, and she found it difficult. She had not been feeling well since the night before, but she was not surprised. She had not been eating enough, and the stress was enough to make anyone ill.

Topaz helped her to her feet, and she steadied herself.

He was still concerned. "Do you- "

"No." Isobel did not want help. Her head pounded as she walked out of the tree.

She took a deep breath of the stale air.

Clopar was down below the dais. When he saw Isobel, he watched as she descended the steps.

"Come see what your people have made." He said.

They walked to the site of construction, and Isobel's stomach churned. She could not tell if it was from the sight or from whatever was making her sick.

So many trees had been blasted and chopped down. And all for the wall.

But Isobel was glad in her knowledge of why Clopar built the wall. He was afraid. He wanted a line of defense between himself and whoever would come to rescue Isobel.

And Clopar's uneasiness still gave Isobel hope.

"They are builders now." Clopar told Isobel simply. "And that's all they will ever be again."

Isobel's ears twitched as she watched her people. They were still warriors. They would be until death, and perhaps even after that.

"But builders are not needed forever." Clopar paused for a moment. "You can ensure their safety, Isobel."

Isobel was truly not feeling well. Her stomach lurched again, and her headache was beginning to alter her vision.

Clopar continued talking. "Marry me. I will not harm your people if you do."

But Isobel looked at the edge of the forest, and figured out what was causing her problem.

"The water." She interrupted Clopar.

That irritated him, but he responded. "And? Should I stop giving them water?"

"It's in cisterns." Isobel stumbled over to them, Clopar and Topaz closely following her.

During the height of summer, the Ta'li would only bring the water they needed immediately from the river. It was more work, but it was worth it to not leave it sitting in open pots.

The disease-ridden mosquitos that flourished in the jungle bred in still water.

Isobel leaned over the waist high barrels, and her fear was confirmed. Larvae squirmed about in the water.

The sweltering heat and her throbbing head were too much, and Isobel blacked out.

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Isobel flitted in and out of consciousness. Her memories were few, but vivid.

The feeling of being carried.

Cold, and then burning heat, and cold again.

Faint, faint shouting and fuzzy images of being stared down at.

Sequoyah's face, and her soft voice.

Jars and bottles and serums.

Topaz pacing.

And then finally, sound came back in full. Scent returned.

Isobel's eyes blinked open. There was a soreness all throughout her body.

She sat up. " _Khala_?"

But Sequoyah was gone, and instead Topaz popped his head in.

The relief on his face said it all.

"Where did Sequoyah go?" Isobel's voice was weak. "She was just here."

Topaz crouched down to give her water. "No. She was here the day before yesterday. You've been sick for four days, and I thought you might have died. Clopar – Pharaoh – did too. He let Sequoyah tend to you. She stayed for hours."

Isobel felt that she might tear up. Sequoyah had been right there with her, and she had not been able to speak to her. But it was time to gain strength again.  
"My people," Isobel asked after she drank water. "Are they – "

"They are safe." Topaz assured her. "Pharaoh had the water thrown out, all of it, thanks to you. They keep water sealed in small jars now."

Isobel nodded. She was taking in her surroundings now, and she realized that she was laying on a makeshift bed, covered in blankets.

She threw the blankets off, and Topaz helped her out of bed.

"Where is he?" She asked as she adjusted to her weak legs.

"On a patrol." Topaz explained. "He took a few Yo'Huac with him to search the western side of the jungle."

Isobel nodded. "Take me to the river."

Topaz looked around for a moment.

"We'll be back before he is." Isobel reassured him. "Doesn't he want his queen to keep herself clean?"

Topaz looked shocked at her, but she began to laugh.

He was confused. "Why are you laughing? You remember him asking you?"

Isobel began to walk out of the tree. "It was only a threat. He did not mean it."

Topaz followed her. "He did mean it, Isobel."

Isobel shook her head. "Clopar does not have those kinds of feelings. It was only to repulse me."

Topaz sighed. He knew that much was true. Clopar was practically emotionless, aside from his rage, and a few similar others. There was certainly no love in his heart.

The pair reached the river.

At first, Isobel just took the sight in. The last time she had been there was to float Ajihad's funeral boat down it. And so she decided to dwell on an earlier memory.

Visions of colorful fabric fluttering in the wind came to mind instead. She remembered the laughter of the girls as they prepared for the courtship celebrations.

She stepped into the river, and its coolness was an instant relief from the heat.

She walked out into the middle until it covered up to her shoulders.

The current was gentle, and she ran her fingers through the water. Slowly, she submerged her head beneath the water.

She opened her eyes. It was so clear.

The water did not sting her piercings, and she knew they were fully healed now. Sequoyah's poultice had kept her safe from infection.

Isobel came back to the surface and wiped the water from her eyes.

She looked back to the shore. Topaz was standing there and he faced away from her.

He scanned the perimeter, ever serious.

Isobel watched him for a few more moments. It would be easy to cross over the river and climb onto the opposite shore, and run. But to where? She had no idea where Mikhailov was kept, and she could not easily escape to Madagascar, especially with all of the guards and the new wall.

For now, she would have to play the good prisoner. Her best chance at keeping the peace was to quell Clopar's anger as much as possible.

Topaz called out to Isobel, and she gathered he was worried that Clopar would make it to the village before them.

She came up beside him, and rubbed her fur to help it dry.

"Would you like to see Mikhailov?"

Isobel paused. She could not believe what he had asked.

Topaz waited for her reply. "I know where he's kept. You can see him."

"Yes." Isobel nodded. She had not felt true joy for a while. "Please."

Topaz led her down the river, and towards the cliff that overlooked the ocean.

There, Mikhailov was chained to the tree Ajihad had once loved to visit.

Isobel ran to her Firebird, and he raised his head.

"Aysobel." He croaked out.

She kneeled down beside him, and took his head into her hands. "Mishko. _Moya drug. Ya lyublyu tebya._ "

Tears welled up in Mikhailov's eyes. " _Ya tozhe tebya lyublyu. Vsey duscha._ "

 _I love you too. With all my heart._

Isobel could no longer hold back her own tears, and she began to sob.

She wrapped her arms around his sturdy neck, but he could not lay his paw over her.

She looked at his body, and saw the trails of old and new scars. Some would fade, but others were deep enough to be permanent.

Isobel looked behind herself, and saw that Topaz was gone. Perhaps he just wanted to give her a little privacy.

"It has been a month." Isobel spoke quietly as she wiped away her tears. "A month, and no one has come for us."

"Do not lose hope so easy, _devochka._ " It was difficult for Mikhailov to speak. "They have not left us. And they are not all on the outside."

Isobel furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

Mikhailov gestured his head down the hill. Isobel turned, and saw Topaz coming up the hill with a small bundle in his arms.

"He ees good." Mikhailov inhaled. "She comes to me een a dream, my lady. She says he ees on our side."

"Who told you?" Isobel's heart was pounding.

"Ellesmera." Mikhailov's voice was so soft. He closed his eyes.

Topaz came up beside Isobel, and she looked at him.

He set down the bundle, and unwrapped it. Inside was a couple of fish for Mikhailov.

"Topaz." Isobel gently grabbed his wrist.

He froze, and looked down at where he hand was. His eyes trailed up her arm and into her eyes.

It was a gaze that always disarmed her.

"Tell me the truth." Isobel continued. "Whose side are you on?"

Topaz turned slightly to face her. "Yours, Isobel."

Isobel let go of his wrist, and shook her head slightly. "But…all of the things that you let happen."

"I had to." Topaz explained. "Ellesmera spoke to me. I went down to the Sacred Tree. She came from out of the tree, and she told me everything."

Isobel was quiet for a moment. "You hardly know me, Topaz. Why are you on my side?"

"You really think I would approve of the things Clopar does?" Topaz picked up a fish to give to Mikhailov. "And not only that, but…Listen, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me. I'd sound crazy. Wait for Ellesmera to come to you too. She'll tell you."

Isobel did not know how she felt about this, but she said nothing more as Topaz woke Mikhailov up. He tore off bits of the fish to feed Mikhailov by hand.

They stayed until he had eaten both of the fish.

Isobel hugged him around his neck once more.

Her eyes were full of tears the entire way back down to the village.

 **Wow this was a long chapter. I actually would have added more but I had to stop myself. Anyways, I promise this is going to get more interesting within the next couple chapters. Please review and thanks for reading!**


	60. Understanding Clopar

Chapter 60: Understanding Clopar

The _Conquistadora_ made her way into the Atlantean harbor. It was half full, and ships were leaving for the harvest or to make equally long voyages.

Jack took a deep breath. How he had missed the scent. Muggy to some, home to him.

After the ship was properly docked, he set his crew loose to resupply and stretch their legs.

He was on a mission.

He squared away his hat, and set off towards the inner city.

The perfumed scents of incense, jasmine rice, and various wares warmed him as he passed by merchant stalls.

The cobblestone felt familiar as compared to the sandy beach he had grown used to.

He came upon the narrow alleyways that he and Isobel had wreaked havoc on as children.

Before long, he came upon the doors leading to the throne room. As always, there were two guards standing vigil.

The newer one, whom Jack had never met, nearly shooed him away.

But the older guard, Nekeb, recognized Jack immediately. The old lemur longed to reach out and embrace Jack, but he could not while performing his duties. And so he settled for a smile.

"Jack." He said with a nod.

"Nekeb." Jack tipped his hat.

"How is your sister? I miss her so." Nekeb asked with glee in his eyes.

Jack's smile faded. "May I go in now?"

Nekeb looked a little hurt, but he understood that Jack was there for business.

The two guards opened the doors for him, and he entered.

He could not help but become lost in the marbled walls, the glass ceiling, and all the splendor before him.

Sheer curtains were drawn across the dais across the small pond, and Jack thought that odd.

He hopped along the stepping stones, and landed on solid ground with both feet.

"Father."

But his smile was replaced with shock when the king did not pull back the curtain.

It was Aleksander. He had courted Isobel last year, and he had been the one the king had chosen to succeed him.

Aleksander being in the throne room, on the dais, meant only one thing to Jack.

Jack wavered, and Aleksander immediately leapt to his feet.

"Jack, no!" He ran down the steps. "Your father is fine."

"Why the crown then?" Jack snapped as he caught a breath of relief.

Aleksander brushed his fingers against the silver crown. It encircled his head, and was studded with sapphires and lapis lazuli.

"It was a gift." Aleksander quickly explained. "Your father and my father designed it together, for my name day. I am only the stand in today, like practice. The king is in his garden."

Jack frowned at Aleksander as he straightened his hat out. "Right."

He brushed past the king-in-training and walked down the Hall of Kings to where the indoor garden was.

The stained glass doors opened with a _creak_ , and Jack stepped in.

Butterflies flitted all around. They landed on fragrant summer flowers and rested on the broad leaves of exotic trees.

Jack glanced around, and he finally spotted his father walking quietly alongside the little stream that ran through the garden.

He had his hands clasped behind his back. It was body language that still made Jack feel relaxed, as he knew the king was at ease when he did that.

Jack sighed, and walked around the section dividing them.

A smile lit up the king's face. "Jack."

The two closed the distance, and Jack embraced the king.

The king was so old. His fur had gone completely silver, and his eyes were beginning to take on a milky hue.

When they pulled away from each other, the king held onto Jack's arms. His eyes were wet.

"I had prayed we would not have to meet like this. Not again."

"I know." Jack looked down at the floor. "I should have told you sooner."

"You were panicked." The king said matter-of-factly. "Bad ideas happen while we panic. The wise choices do not come until after then."

"Well, my first plan was just to storm Talamaru." Jack chuckled. "Not the best idea."

The king's eyes crinkled up in a smile. "You've come for an army now. I have eighty warriors to give you. And three ships."

Jack's ears perked up. That was more than he had expected. But then again, this was about the king's daughter. He would give anything for her safe return.

"They should be in the harbor by now." The king began to walk towards the doors. "Let me take you to them."

The pair walked out of the gardens and past the royal dais, and Aleksander gave them a friendly wave. Jack gave him an odd look and saluted back.

A few guards escorted them down to the harbor, but the king ignored them completely.

"Aleksander is…" The king trailed off. "He's grown to love Atlantis. But his valor…I've yet to test it."

"Shove him off to sea." A smile tugged up the corners of Jack's lips. "Or have him kidnapped by someone he trusts."

The king winced, and looked away.

Jack's smile slid away. His humor was what he had to get him through all of this, but he knew his jokes could be far too dark.

They came back upon the harbor, and Jack was greeted to the sight of Atlantean warships. They were beautiful, with rich coats of paint and fresh sails depicting the royal sigil.

 _But can they withstand Clopar?_ Jack wondered to himself.

The soldiers on the ships, each with their own designated leaders, were preparing to cast off. All they needed was Jack's word.

"Before you go, I also have one last offering."

Jack turned to the king as he slid a necklace off.

Jack's fur stood on end when he saw the pendant.

"Beastie."

The pendant was of a snarling hydra, its lips curled back to reveal long fangs. Fangs that had pierced ship and sailor alike.

Jack shook his head. "I…It's too dangerous. What if it turns on us?"

The king insisted. "Take the beast with you. I know our ships are weak compared to the steel I know Clopar has. This will help you."

Still, Jack did not reach for the pendant. "What if I lose this? If I am killed and this ends up in the wrong hands?"

"It's a risk I am willing to take." The king grabbed Jack's hand and lowered it into his palm.

The moment Jack's fingers curled around it, the ground quaked, and the water in the harbor stirred.

A long, rumbling screech bellowed up from the depths, and the shaking stopped.

Jack turned to the harbor, and he saw the foreign sailors aboard their ships look over the railings, confused and frightened. The Atlantean ones stayed away from the railing.

The king folded his hands behind his back, and Jack knew they were shaking.

He removed his hat, and carefully placed the necklace over his head and on his neck.

"Fair winds." The king nodded at him.

Jack gave him a half smile. "Fair winds."

The flotilla of ships made their way one by one down the port. The Conquistadora led the way.

Jack looked up at the high ceilings of the cave's mouth, and small pieces of rock rained down on him as the waters shook again.

The beast was following them.

He gripped the pendant that lay at his chest, and held his head high.

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Twilight cast a long shadow throughout Talamaru, and with it came Clopar and his band of mercenaries.

Isobel sat inside _nyumbani_ with a bundle of fabric in her lap.

It was amongst the surviving Ta'li relics that had not been burned. Clopar did not intend on destroying anything else after his initial power display, so Isobel took no caution in hiding it from him.

The soft pink fabric felt good in her hands. It smelled lightly of jasmine flowers, which was what the rest of Talamaru would smell of if it weren't for all of the construction and smoke.

While Isobel was absorbed in her thoughts, a small mouse ran inside. It searched for small bits of any food it could find.

Isobel came to, and nearly shooed the mouse away, as the mice were known to tear up fabrics to use for their nests.

She stopped herself, and had an idea.

" _Akhi."_ She spoke hesitantly.

The mouse's whiskers twitched, and he sat up on his hind feet. He stared at Isobel.

Isobel looked down at him. She cleared her throat. "Pharaoh would not approve of you snooping around his things."

The mouse smiled. "You don't have to be this way with me, sheikrah. I know who my real queen is."

Isobel was relieved, and the little mouse hopped up to the ledge she was sitting on.

"Help me, little brother." Isobel whispered to him.

The mouse nodded eagerly. "Of course. What can I do for your highness?"

"Find me paper." Isobel said without missing a beat. "And a piece of charcoal."

His ears perked up. "For a note?"

"Yes." Isobel glanced at the entrance of the tree. Her heart was hammering.

"I will bring these things to you as soon as I find them." The mouse smiled, and he sat up again. He put his paws together. "It…It would help a mouse to work faster if he had some fabric to warm his nest."

Isobel figured that he would ask for a gift. She tore a strip from the soft pink fabric, and handed it to him.

He placed it in his mouth, and hopped off the ledge.

"Thank you!" he called through a fabric stuffed mouth.

He scurried out of the tree, and Isobel sat back.

This was the best way she knew how to communicate with help outside of Talamaru. With Jack, at least. He was all she had now on the outside.

She knew Julien hated her for being so stubborn and indecisive, and she had publicly disowned the penguins. They had left Madagascar altogether, as she had not seen their helicopter on that fateful day down at the beach.

Topaz entered the tree, and Isobel swept her eyes over to him.

"Pharaoh would like to see you."

When Isobel walked out of the tree, she smelled something terrible, burning.

She tried to ignore it, as she knew it best to make herself impossible to read around Clopar.

Clopar was sitting in Ajihad's throne. His crown, with its reared back snake, sat atop his head.

It made Isobel's stomach churn with anger.

He looked over at her, and smiled without showing his teeth.

"Come, sit next to me." He gestured to the makeshift 'throne' beside him.

Isobel hesitated, but she did as she was told.

The burning smell that invaded her nostrils was almost too much to bear. She could not help but momentarily cover her nose.

Clopar saw. "You will get used to it. My warriors miss the food from home."

Isobel looked down below the dais where the Yo'Huac had started a cooking fire.

On the spit, she expected fish. But as the smoke cleared, she practically leapt out of her chair.

A small yelp emitted from her throat, and she covered her mouth.

The Yo'Huac were cooking a rabbit over the fire, and they chuckled at Isobel's reaction.

Isobel shook. This was sacrilege, this was disgusting. The Ta'li would never do such a thing. The creatures of the forest were their equals. They ate from the plants and the sea, nothing else.

"I didn't mean to offend." There was a snarl in Clopar's voice.

Isobel whipped her head to him. Of course he had meant to offend. All he did now was shock her, in hopes to break her.

Clopar did not let Isobel leave as the Yo'Huac began to eat. Some of it was brought to Clopar, and he ate as well.

Isobel turned her head away, and Chimera took the opportunity to wave some in Isobel's face.

"Not good enough for your highborn taste?" She teased cruelly.

Isobel squeezed her eyes shut and tears leaked out.

"That's enough, Chimera." Topaz said sternly.

Clopar chuckled, and continued to eat.

Topaz brought a bowl of fruits to Isobel. They were ripe stone fruits, the best summer could offer, but Isobel could not bear to eat now.

She thanked Topaz, and set it aside.

Darkness fell, and the Yo'Huac lit a few torches around the village to keep the predators at bay.

They had learned their lesson about that when they lost one of their own warriors to a diamond backed jackal just days ago.

Most of the warriors walked over to where the Ta'li – slaves, as Clopar enjoyed calling them now – were kept.

Topaz joined them, and Isobel was grateful. Topaz was able to quell most of the anger that the Yo'Huac tried to take out on the vulnerable Ta'li, and it made Isobel feel more at ease when he went with them.

Chimera skipped along as well, and Clopar dismissed the other guards that had stayed behind.

He and Isobel were alone.

Clopar said nothing, and they sat in silence.

Isobel could not stand to look at him, but she glanced over. The bonfire in front of the dais illuminated his features as he stared hard into it.

Isobel could have sworn when she saw his finger move, the fire jumped up with it.

"I never gave you an answer." Clopar suddenly said.

Isobel did not know what he was talking about.

Clopar turned his gaze to her. Isobel gripped the arms of her chair, and sat up.

She needed to be strong. And if she couldn't do that, she could at least pretend she was.

"You asked me why I did this." He gestured to the forest, and in the direction of the wall that had been built across the front of the village. "I will tell you."

Now Isobel was interested. She hated him with a passion, and assumed he would never reveal anything to her.

"Your parents were killed for a stone, Isobel."

She knew this already, as Alistair had told the entire village. It still stung her heart to hear it.

Clopar continued. "The warriors that came were Yo'Huac. The fathers of some of these men here with me. As well as mine."

Isobel's eyes widened. "What?"

Clopar shifted uneasily. Isobel could tell he was uncomfortable, but he smiled eerily all the same. "I am Yo'Huac."

The deep brown eyes of the mad man were similar to the warriors, as Isobel had noted. She had never spent much time looking at him, but now that she did, she could see details and features that belonged only to the Snake People of the Hills.

Questions bubbled up in her throat, but she let him continue.

"It was the time of The Man on the Mountain." Clopar became absorbed in his own story as he recalled the events. "A full solar eclipse. It happens only once every fifteen years in the mountains. When the moon blocks out the sun, it casts a shadow down our largest volcano of a human man. The Yo'Huac claim it be the image of their god; I believe in no such thing. But when this time comes, they throw offerings into the volcano. Gems, food…Living sacrifices. Precious stones are hard to find in the mountains. And so they came here. The AG8 promised they would find hundreds of stones to give to _Waheyacuatl_."

Clopar's lips curled back, and he clenched and unclenched his left fist. "The Man on the Mountain. All they had to do was come here for a raid, and in turn give the AG8 the large ruby in your mother's crown. My father led the warriors. And…I'm sure you remember your parents last breaths. You were there."

Isobel hated him with a passion. She found herself breathing harder as his story moved on, both from fear and anger.

Clopar sat back for a moment. "You and I are alike in that way. I too saw my father killed. When he came back without the ruby, the AG8 shot him, right in front of me. His blood soaked my fur. But he was able to speak to me one last time; his words of vengeance. Do you know what he said to me, Isobel?"

Clopar had stood up, and was directly in front of Isobel. He leaned close to her, and Isobel could feel the putrid heat from his breath.

"'You were born to spill blood, my boy'."

The look in his eyes sent shivers down Isobel's spine.

He tilted his head just slightly, but his crown did not move.

"Don't you see? He knew from the start, I would avenge him. I would finish the job he could not, and more." His hands crept towards her wrists.

She tried to inch them away, but he gripped them tightly.

He pulled her up from her chair, and he looked down at her.

"Don't you understand?" His voice was quiet.

And suddenly, his façade began to crumple, and Isobel watched as tears leaked out from Clopar's eyes. His usual yelling would have been far less unnerving to her than this.

Slowly, the look of grief and sadness in his eyes was replaced by the fury she knew best.

His snarl returned, and his hands moved from her wrists to her neck.

Isobel grabbed his wrists as she gasped for air, and she risked clawing at his fingers, but it was to no avail.

Finally, he released her, and she fell to the ground. She choked for a moment, and touched her neck as she caught her breath.

"You are nothing now." Clopar's words were harsh. "You are no more than what you were born as; a princess. Nothing more. Worthless."

He turned from her, and began to walk away.

"I am no princess."

His ears pricked up, and he turned his head around.

Isobel stood up shakily. Her brow was lowered at him. She lifted her head as best she could, and she said through an unsteady breath, "I am the sheikrah."

She did not care if he came back at her again. She would take this torture no longer.

But he only stared at her for a moment, and he turned back around.

She was completely alone on the dais. She took deep breaths, and steadied herself.

No tears came now. She knew Clopar's story, and she knew she needed to act faster. She needed help and a plan, and she needed it now.

 **Well, turns out Clopar had a few secrets of his own! So yeah, he is Yo'Huac, and his father was killed around the same time as Isobel's parents were. He believes he is the one to avenge his father, and of course, do whatever he wants also. Thanks for reading and please review!**


	61. Before it is Too Late

**Hey, guys. So…it's been a minute. Or, like, five months rather. Since its been so long, you might want to consider reading the last one or two chapters before reading this one so you can catch up to speed again. Anyways, thanks for still reading!**

Chapter 61: Before it is Too Late

Isobel laid down inside of _nyumbani._ She stared up dry eyed at the interior of the great tree, and listened to the gentle sounds of crickets.

She was grateful that the jungle was at peace during the night, but a storm raged in her heart and mind.

She could not sleep, and she had not been eating. Her mouth was dry, and she knew she did not look to be in queenly shape.

She rolled thoughts in her head, and considered several options for escaping. She could bribe a guard, but with what? How? And what about the people? What would happen to them if she disappeared? Not even Topaz could change Clopar's mind about how to treat the Ta'li.

She heard tiny, bounding footfalls, and she sat up.

"Sorry, my lady." It was the mouse that had agreed to help her earlier in the day. He sat back on his haunches, and revealed a piece of parchment as well as a small rock of charcoal.  
Isobel's eyes widened. She reached forward, and the mouse leaned towards her to hand her the supplies.

Isobel held the lump of charcoal, and stared at the torn piece of paper. Her lips moved, and she began carefully scribing in Atlantean. It was a note that only Jack could read. Or Clopar, if he were to find out.

But she could not think about those things. It was worth the risk.

The mouse twitched his nose, and watched as Isobel wrote.

"Don't those hurt you?" He pointed to her piercings.

"They are the pain I endure for the people." Isobel stated without looking up.

The mouse smiled. "How brave! I could never do such a thing."

Isobel finished her note, and folded it several times so it would be easy for the mouse to carry.

She began to hand it over, but she retracted her hand. "What is your name, _akhi_?"

"Bakri." He said proudly. "Fitting, isn't it?"

The corners of Isobel's mouth lifted slightly. His name meant one who starts work early.

She reached over to the shawl that she had given him a piece of early, and tore off another strip.

She instructed him where exactly to take the note, and he was off into the night.

Isobel slowly went back to laying down, and she finally closed her eyes.

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Julien sat down on the shoreline, and wrapped his arms around his legs.

He watched the moonlight dance off of the waves, and let his mind drift.

He was anxious for Jack to return with help. He knew time was of the essence, and he furiously pushed away any bad thoughts about what could have happened already.

Suddenly, he felt something pushing on his left leg.

He unwrapped his arms, and looked down to see a mouse holding a paper in its mouth.

Julien scrambled away, and stood up quickly.

"What do you want?" He demanded. "Who are you?"

The mouse took the paper out of his mouth and gave a low bow. "My name is Bakri. There's supposed to be a ship here. Where is it?"

Julien squinted at the strange mouse and put his hands on his hips. "Who is wanting to know?"

"The sheikrah." Bakri held up his piece of paper.

Julien's eyes widened, and he felt his heart skip a beat. He tentatively reached down, and opened up the small paper.

His joy turned sour when he discovered that he could not read what the note said. He recognized the characters as Atlantean, but he did not know what they meant.

The note had clearly been meant for Jack. It hurt, but he understood why she would do that.

"Is something wrong?" Bakri asked.

Julien shook his head. "Come with me, tiny rodent. We'll solve this with the penguins."

Bakri ran alongside Julien as they made their way to the helicopter resting on the beach.

Julien knocked several times on the door, and Skipper opened it.

He looked exhausted, but they all had been lately. Julien was sure he had not woken him up.

"What is it, Ringtail?"

"Look." Julien held up the note for Skipper to see. "Isobel wrote to us! This guy, uh, Banksy – "

"Bakri." Bakri reminded him.

"Yes, Bakri." Julien continued, "He brought this to me."

Skipper grabbed it. "How do you know it's from her?"

"It's in Atlantean, see?" Julien pointed to the characters. "She meant for it to be for Jack. But…He's not here. So we have to crack the code! Where is Kowalski?"

Skipper flipped on the lights and woke everyone up. They protested, until he explained what it was for.

Kowalski eagerly pulled out his Atlantean notebook. He had written down every character, and their English equivalent. He had a dictionary of some words, and so he hoped Isobel had not encrypted it too much.

The five of them poured over it while Bakri waited patiently.

Private wiped away a few tears and he sniffed.

"Whass wrong?" Rico turned his head to him.

"It's her." Private smiled. "It's really Isobel. She's okay."

Skipper gave him a half smile. He could not get his hopes up, but the light in Julien's and Private's eyes made it hard not to.

"Alright, I've translated each character." Kowalski sat back triumphantly. "Now to find out what these words mean."

He opened the dictionary, and began writing down the words.

Julien peered over his shoulder and read them aloud.

"I…have…life. Huh?"

"I know, the way Atlantean is spoken is tricky." Kowalski said. "But she means to say she is alive."

"Okay, well, yeah." Julien nodded. "So what about the rest?"

"'I am alive'." Kowalski translated the words into plain English so they could all understand. "'Tira is alive. Mikhailov is alive'. Get…birds without flight…Okay. That would be us; penguins. 'Get the penguins. Tell my father. Save us.'"

The final words hit their stomachs like bricks. She was alive, but clearly not well.

"This is all you have?" Kowalski turned to Bakri.

The mouse nodded. "Yes, for now. I can take a note back to her."

Julien had already torn a piece of paper from Kowalski's notebook, much to the scientist's distaste.

He began scribbling furiously.

"Ringtail, we have to code everything." Skipper reminded him.

Julien continued scribbling, and he thrust the paper towards Kowalski.

"Write down all of this into the squiggly characters, smarty penguin."

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"Isobel."

Isobel stirred in her sleep, and she opened her eyes.

Ellesmera was looking down on her, as though she had been waiting for her to awaken for a long time.

Isobel sighed. _I am only dreaming._

She sat up, and stood on weakened legs. She wished that at least in her dreams she did not have to feel so tired. This had become her one escape now.

Ellesmera turned, and they walked out of _nyumbani._

Isobel did not question Ellesmera as they walked deep into the jungles of her dreams.

"You still think you have been dreaming all this time?" Ellesmera turned to Isobel.

The young queen looked at the firebird. "How else can it be?"

Ellesmera smiled at her. "You are awake. Everything is as it was when you fell asleep. I can show you."

Cautiously, Isobel followed her.

They came upon a clearing where small deer were grazing in the moonlight.

Isobel was confused, but she watched carefully. The deer appeared different to her than usual. Wisps encircled each deer, with some floating ahead, and some behind.

"It is their spirits." Ellesmera spoke quietly. "You see what I see when we are in this state."

"But if I am awake, what if they see that I am gone?" Isobel asked. "Won't they come to look for me?"

"They won't." The being assured her.

The deer looked up towards the females. They continued chewing their grass, but they glanced warily at Ellesmera.

Quickly, she took a step back, and her form began to change. The firebird melted around her, and she became a lemur, the same as Isobel.

Her fur was white, with black markings scattered about. Her eyes were still the same striking sapphire, and her silver earrings clicked together gently.

The deer sighed and went back to grazing as usual.

Ellesmera adjusted her delicate headpiece, and as Isobel looked at her, she realized she had never felt less queenly.

Ellesmera's eyes flashed towards her. "I am no queen, Isobel. Only a servant. Have you yet to learn beauty of the flesh cannot compare to the bloom in the heart?"

Isobel lowered her gaze, ashamed.

"You are a prisoner. You do not look yourself." Ellesmera approached her, and laid her hands on her shoulders. "But what does this matter? The Creator has given you great earthly beauty; a blessing and a curse; and you have used it to your advantage before. But I will teach you how to surpass your enemies with the might of the cosmos. This is what I can give to you."

Isobel locked eyes with her, and nodded.

She was afraid, but this was the best time for her to be brave.

"Come." Ellesmera led her back into the forest.

As they walked, Ellesmera spoke again. "Before we begin, you may ask me anything about myself. I need you to trust me, Isobel."

"Is this your true form?" Isobel asked.

Ellesmera shook her head. "No. Before I became…this, all of this, I was a Firebird. It's the shape I retain most often. But I change it to make those who I am helping more comfortable."

"What made you stay with us, on Earth?"

Ellesmera laughed breathily. "That is a tale for when we have more time."

Isobel smiled. "You said I could ask you anything."

"Indeed I did!" Ellesmera climbed over an uprooted tree. "I never promised an answer."

Isobel followed her. "Why are you helping me?"

Ellesmera was silent for a moment. She had turned serious again. She paused to look at Isobel. "You are to save more than just the Ta'li, Isobel. You have so much to go through. You will need all of the help you can get."

Isobel asked no more questions.

Finally, they came across a clearing in the jungle, which was overgrown with sweet moss and many luminescent plants.

Isobel wondered how she had never come across any place so magical before. Then again, she was seeing everything through Ellesmera's eyes.

Ellesmera sat down comfortably, and invited Isobel to do the same.

"And now, I will tell you about yourself. Things you had no knowledge of before."

Isobel expected small things, such as observations Ellesmera had made of her as a child, or perhaps something more about her parents.

"As I have said, you are destined to save more than just your people here." Ellesmera continued. "You will journey far, first into the hilly land of the Snake People, and then to your father's ancestral home, high in the mountains. You will go with Clopar to the hills."

Now that Isobel knew of Clopar's true identity, she knew that his homeland would be where he was strongest. "Why are we going there?"

"It will be another great test for you as a queen." Ellesmera folded her hands in her lap. "It will not be easy, but I will be with you, as well as your Firebird."

Isobel lowered her head. Ellesmera had not entirely answered Isobel's question, but she knew the demigoddess would not tell her the future directly.

"Help will come, Isobel."

Isobel looked into Ellesmera's eyes. "I gave a field mouse a note to take to my brother. The mouse is loyal to my rule."

Ellesmera gave her a small smile. "You are learning lessons of a leader all on your own. How to decide your close friends, and your closer enemies. Now, what do you plan to do to save your people?"

"Anything it takes." Isobel did not hesitate.

"A marriage to Clopar, even?"

Isobel flattened her ears. "I would die for them."

"Martyrdom is not the key to this." Ellesmera sat up. "All this time, you thought Clopar was only proposing marriage to frighten you."

"Clopar does not love me." Isobel interjected.

A glimmer came to Ellesmera's eyes. "When did I say anything about love? He will suggest it again, and you will say yes. In his eyes, a marriage to you will eliminate a threat from both the mountains and across the ocean, in Atlantis."

Isobel shook her head, and felt her heart racing. "You said help would come."

"Indeed I did." Ellesmera's voice softened. "But not when. Your people can only hold on so much longer. Your temporary distractions and expecting Topaz to quell Clopar's anger will not hold out forever. Act now, before it is too late."


End file.
